'Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Leader': Effect Of Reading Literary Fiction On Emerging Adults' Theory Of Mind And Social Cognitive Leadership Skills

النوع : Mémoire

To possess a ‘Theory of Mind’ is to have the ability to attribute mental states - such as intentions, knowledge, and desires - to others and to oneself, to understand social cues, and to interpret behavior. These mental abilities are fundamental in social cognition, information exchange, and interactive communication. To have a developed Theory of Mind is to better understand oneself and others and show effective interpersonal communication. Leadership is concerned with training, motivating, and equipping people. Effective interpersonal and intrapersonal understanding are leadership and good management skills. Reading literary fiction was proved to enhance adults’ Theory of Mind. Thus, reading literary fiction has the potential to improve social cognitive leadership skills. This thesis aims at investigating the Theory of Mind and social cognition in Lebanese emerging adults - aged 18 to 29 years old - who are either readers or nonreaders of literary fiction. 84 participants completed a social skills questionnaire and a Theory of Mind short story task. Readers (46 out of 84) also filled out a literary response questionnaire. The data correlated the Theory of Mind to reading literary fiction, and showed how the latter affects social cognitive leadership skills.