Reading fulfils psychological need to belong
Given a chance, many of us would happily spend an entire day curled up with a book. But researchers say reading is not just a hobby, it satisfies a deeply human, evolutionarily requirement -- the need to belong.
"The study explains how this everyday phenomenon - reading - works not just for escape or education, but as something that fulfils a deep psychological need," says psychologist Ariana Young, from the University of Buffalo, US.
Shira Gabriel, who led a study with Young, surveyed 140 undergraduates about their need for staying connected by identifying with groups, reports the journal Psychological Science.
Some students were made to read a passage from the novel "Twilight", in which Edward describes what it feels like to be a vampire and his romantic interest Bella, according to a Buffalo statement.
(Continued)
Related Content
Advertisement
