Cannyminds Blog

Classic novels teach us good behaviour, say scientists

Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by Jenny in Articles, General

Nineteenth century novels such as Pride and Prejudice and Dracula help to teach us how to behave, claim scientists.
Researchers believe that the novels act like “social glue”, reinforcing beliefs that maintain the community and warning against destructive influences and character traits.

The study suggests that good literature “could continually condition society so that we fight against base impulses and work in a co-operative way”, said Professor Jonathan Gottschall of Washington and Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, whose research is published in New Scientist.

The researchers asked 500 people questions about 200 classic novels. The respondents were asked to define characters in the novels according to their traits.

Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, for example, scored highly on conscientiousness and nurturing, while Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula scored highly on status-seeking and social dominance. Dr Carroll believes novels have the same effect as the cautionary tales told around the fire in older societies.

“Maybe storytelling – from TV to folk tales – serves some specific evolutionary function,” he said.  “They’re not just by-products of evolutionary adaptation.”

By Richard Alleyne, The Telegraph, June 2009

See our Recommended Novels to buy some great reading!

Photo courtesy of Moriza

Tags: good behaviour, Novel, pride and prejudice