
Just as some readers turn up their noses at young adult fiction, many sneer at romance novels. But these books aren’t simply trashy bodice rippers filled with swooning and ridiculously attractive heroes. They may also increase self-reflection and empathy in readers. (There is often still swooning though. Lots and lots of swooning.)
Romance novels can help readers explore their own desires and become more confident in themselves. Psychologist Alexis Conason asserts that romances can “encourage fantasy…in a safe way,” and Clinical Psychologist Carl G. Hindy agrees that they can be “a benefit to relationships. Or they can be a fulfillment in themselves.”
There is also a correlation between people who read romance novels and people who exhibit signs of higher emotional intelligence. Psychologist Katrina Fong released a study on how the type of fiction a person reads predicts interpersonal sensitivity. Fong and her fellow researches found that people who…
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