This Is Your Brain on Jane Austen, and Stanford Researchers Are Taking Notes, by Corrie Goldman

07/09/2012View on timeline


[...] public relations officers at universities were quick to publicize brain imaging research claiming to prove the value of reading literature (e.g., Goldman 2012) [...] 


Vidal, Fernando and Ortega, Francisco. Being Brains: Making the Cerebral Subject (Forms of Living)....

Image taken from the article, showing one of the experiments conducted on the research.

This is your brain on Jane Austen, and Stanford researchers are taking notes
Researchers observe the brain patterns of literary PhD candidates while they're reading a Jane Austen novel. The fMRI images suggest that literary reading provides "a truly valuable exercise of people's brains."

The inside of an MRI machine might not seem like the best place to cozy up and concentrate on a good novel, but a team of researchers at Stanford are asking readers to do just that.

In an innovative interdisciplinary study, neurobiological experts, radiologists and humanities scholars are working together to explore the relationship between reading, attention and distraction – by reading Jane Austen.

Surprising preliminary results reveal a dramatic and unexpected increase in blood flow to regions of the brain beyond those responsible for "executive function," areas which would normally be associated with paying close attention to a task, such as reading, said Natalie Phillips, the literary scholar leading the project.

Keep reading

0 comments

Comment
No comments avaliable.

Author

Info

Published in 22/02/2019

Updated in 19/02/2021

All events in the topic Chap. 4: Brains on Paper:


19/08/2009The Rise of the Neuronovel, by Marco RothThe Rise of the Neuronovel, by Marco Roth
01/01/1980 (Circa)Antecessors of Neuro Lit CritAntecessors of Neuro Lit Crit
01/01/2007 (Circa)Proust Was a Neuroscientist, by Jonah LehrerProust Was a Neuroscientist, by Jonah Lehrer
01/01/1997 (Circa)Enduring Love, by Ian McEwanEnduring Love, by Ian McEwan
22/03/2005Saturday, by Ian McEwanSaturday, by Ian McEwan
01/01/1999 (Circa)Motherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan LethemMotherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan Lethem
03/03/2009Lowboy, by John WrayLowboy, by John Wray
01/01/2006 (Circa)The Echomaker, by Richard PowersThe Echomaker, by Richard Powers
01/01/2008 (Circa)Atmospheric Disturbances, by Rivka GalchenAtmospheric Disturbances, by Rivka Galchen
15/09/2001The Corrections, by Jonathan FranzenThe Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen
01/01/1848 (Circa)The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne BrontëThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Brontë
01/01/1847 (Circa)Jane Eyre, by Charlotte BrontëJane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
01/01/1849 (Circa)Shirley, by Charlotte BrontëShirley, by Charlotte Brontë
01/01/1853 (Circa)Villette, by Charlotte BrontëVillette, by Charlotte Brontë
01/01/1857 (Circa)The Professor, by Charlotte BrontëThe Professor, by Charlotte Brontë
01/01/1859 (Circa)The Lifted Veil, by George EliotThe Lifted Veil, by George Eliot
01/01/1889 (Circa)The Legacy of Cain, by Wilkie CollinsThe Legacy of Cain, by Wilkie Collins
01/01/1850 (Circa)David Copperfield, by Charles DickensDavid Copperfield, by Charles Dickens
01/01/1861 (Circa)Great Expectations, by Charles DickensGreat Expectations, by Charles Dickens
01/01/1836 (Circa)Sketches by Boz, by Charles DickensSketches by Boz, by Charles Dickens
01/01/1853 (Circa)Bleak House, by Charles DickensBleak House, by Charles Dickens
01/01/1897 (Circa)Dracula, by Bram StokerDracula, by Bram Stoker
01/01/1891 (Circa)Tess of the d’Urbervilles, by Thomas HardyTess of the d’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy
01/04/1997 (Circa)Albrick's Gold, by Simon LeVayAlbrick's Gold, by Simon LeVay
01/01/1925 (Circa)Heart of a Dog, by Mikhail BulgakovHeart of a Dog, by Mikhail Bulgakov
01/01/1925 (Circa)Professor Dowell’s Head, by Alexander BelyaevProfessor Dowell’s Head, by Alexander Belyaev
01/01/1973 (Circa)Asleep in the Sun, by Adolfo Bioy CasaresAsleep in the Sun, by Adolfo Bioy Casares
01/01/1942 (Circa)Donovan's Brain, by Curt SiodmakDonovan's Brain, by Curt Siodmak
01/01/1964 (Circa)¿A dónde van los cefalomos? by Ángel Arango¿A dónde van los cefalomos? by Ángel Arango
01/01/1977 (Circa)A Scanner Darkly, by Philip K. DickA Scanner Darkly, by Philip K. Dick
01/01/1972 (Circa)The Terminal Man, by Michael CrichtonThe Terminal Man, by Michael Crichton
01/01/1985 (Circa)Neuromancer, by William GibsonNeuromancer, by William Gibson
01/01/1987 (Circa)Mindplayers, by Pat CadiganMindplayers, by Pat Cadigan
01/01/1992 (Circa)Fools, by Pat CadiganFools, by Pat Cadigan
01/01/1992 (Circa)The Turing Option, by Harry Harrison and Marvin MinskyThe Turing Option, by Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky
01/01/2002 (Circa)Mind Catcher, by John DarntonMind Catcher, by John Darnton
01/01/1985 (Circa)Schismatrix, by Bruce SterlingSchismatrix, by Bruce Sterling
01/01/1987 (Circa)When Gravity Fails, by George Alec EffingerWhen Gravity Fails, by George Alec Effinger
01/01/1990 (Circa)A Fire in the Sun, by George Alec EffingerA Fire in the Sun, by George Alec Effinger
01/01/1991 (Circa)The Exile Kiss, by George Alec EffingerThe Exile Kiss, by George Alec Effinger
01/01/1971 (Circa)Odd Corners, by William HjortsbergOdd Corners, by William Hjortsberg
01/01/2001 (Circa)Thinks... by David LodgeThinks... by David Lodge
01/01/1995 (Circa)Galatea 2.2, by Richard PowersGalatea 2.2, by Richard Powers
01/01/2003 (Circa)Into the Silent Land: Travels in Neuropsychology, by Paul BroksInto the Silent Land: Travels in Neuropsychology, by Paul Broks
01/01/2002 (Circa)My Father's Brain, by Jonathan FranzenMy Father's Brain, by Jonathan Franzen
02/01/1995 (Circa)Descartes' Error, by Antonio DamasioDescartes' Error, by Antonio Damasio
31/12/1981 (Circa)Reason, Truth, and History, by Hilary PutnamReason, Truth, and History, by Hilary Putnam
01/01/1929 (Circa)The World, the Flesh, and the Devil, by J.D. BernalThe World, the Flesh, and the Devil, by J.D. Bernal