# Emotional Responses to Fiction

> 【EN】Imagine that you are reading The Fellowship of the Ring . Tolkien introduces you to a strange new world where, amongst other magical occurrences, you fictionally encounter monsters. Your responses to the orcs, giant spiders, and other monstrosities are probably nothing like what they would be if you encountered them in real life; you would fear the orcs rather than feel curious or intrigued by them and you would run away from the creature rather than remain in your comfy chair. Indeed, we often don’t intentionally react to the objects we see on a screen or stage or read about in a novel beyond mere reflexes and basic physiological responses. Our intentional behavior to fictional entities is much different from how we would behave towards their real-life counterparts, emotionally, morally, and functionally. … 【中】词条考察三种主要解释路径——假装理论、模拟理论与共情——以及其他替代观点；随后逐一讨论对相关三个命题的反对意见，并进入更进一步的谜题，如想象性抵抗。它与审美经验、认知科学、共情、虚构与虚构实体、电影哲学以及想象等议题紧密相连。

- ID: m13209
- Category: learn
- Domain: 认知科学

## Definition

这一谜题关乎我们对小说、银幕与舞台上虚构对象的情感反应：明知半兽人并不存在，我们感到的却是好奇与着迷而非恐惧与逃跑，与真实遭遇中的反应截然不同，而这需要解释。 脚手架作用：- 解释想象触发：说明情感为何能脱离信念被虚构内容唤起，而不必预设当事人糊涂。 - 区分行动倾向：以是否伴随逃避或求助的冲动，辨别真实恐惧与审美层面的感动。

## How it works

虚构情境引发的情感可由想象与模拟驱动：情感不一定要以信念为触发条件，想象、欲望与共情同样能产生带有真实感受色彩的反应。正因为触发机制不同，反应缺少真实恐惧所附带的行动倾向（如逃离）。

## Practice

1) 记录自己对某个虚构场景的实际反应；2) 追问它由何种心理状态触发，是信念、想象还是共情；3) 比较它与真实同类情境中的反应差异；4) 分别用假装、模拟与共情框架解释；5) 找出仍解释不了的残余部分。

## Use

- 解释想象触发：说明情感为何能脱离信念被虚构内容唤起，而不必预设当事人糊涂。 - 区分行动倾向：以是否伴随逃避或求助的冲动，辨别真实恐惧与审美层面的感动。

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