We’ve read it over and over again – reading boosts our vocabulary, sharpens our critical thinking, and expands our intellect. But while its impact on our intelligence quotient (IQ) is well established, did you know it also has an incredible impact on our emotional quotient (EQ)?
And there’s one genre that does it best – fiction.
Click start to play today’s Crossword, where 7-Down asks you to identify books that deal with fictitious stories.
When we read fiction, we develop and strengthen different cognitive ‘muscles’ that are at the core of EQ. It’s something non-fiction books don’t do well, because they focus on helping us collect knowledge and information – a more IQ-related pursuit. According to a March 2020 report in US-based business management website Harvard Business Review (HBR), the very act of reading literary fiction helps us develop empathy, theory of mind and social acuity.
Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, reading makes you insightful. It’s perhaps why some of the most successful people around the world are constantly reading. American business magnate and one of the most successful investors of all time, Warren Buffet, recommends reading 500 pages a day. American entrepreneur Mark Cuban is reported to have said he reads more than three hours a day. South African CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, says he learned to build rockets by reading books.
But if you want to develop your EQ, it may not be enough to just read. It’s what you’re reading that counts. In 2013, researchers at the US-based New School for Social Research found a link between theory of mind – the ability to know what another person is thinking or feeling – and reading a passage of literary fiction.
Apart from building empathy, fiction helps you in the workplace and in relationships. According to HBR, characters, plots and settings in foreign locations help anchor difficult discussions, so you can work through nuanced issues in an open, honest way. An April 2013 study published in the UK-based Creativity Research Journal also found that reading literary fiction is an effective way to enhance the brain’s ability to keep an open mind while processing information. Termed cognitive closure, it’s a key skill for successful decision making.
Do you read and love fiction? Play today’s Crossword and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
