Mirror Neurons and Character Empathy: Why We Feel What Fictional Characters Feel
You’re watching a movie. A character reaches for a doorknob. Just as their fingers touch the metal, you wince—because you know what they don’t: someone is waiting on the other side with a knife. Or you’re reading a novel. The protagonist is about to make a terrible decision based on incomplete information. Your chest tightens. You want to shout at them, warn them, stop them—even though they’re ink on paper. ...