# Aim of the Study

## 2.4. Aim of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between exposure to
literary fiction and empathy (cognitive and affective), mentalisation,
anxiety (trait and state), and existential concerns within an 18- to
30-year-old university student or graduate population. Prior studies
regarding the subject were dominantly conducted in Europe and Northern
America, comprising Western literary works.

This study innovatively employs the literary canon titled _100 Temel
Eser_ (_100 Essential Works_) published by the Turkish Ministry of
National Education (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı \[MEB\];
T.C. Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, 2005) list as an ecologically valid proxy
for engagement with literary fiction.

Furthermore, this study seeks to explore a broad network of variables
that may interact by distinctly measuring cognitive empathy, affective
empathy, and mentalisation separately, which will allow a more nuanced
understanding of literary fiction's effects on social cognition. The
inclusion of anxiety in both its state and trait forms, which are known
to interfere with interpretation of mental states (Washburn et al.,
2016), as well as existential concerns, which feature as prominent
themes found in literary works (Yalom, 1980) will allow the study of
potential moderators.

### 2.4.1. Empathy-Focused Research Questions and Hypotheses

**RQ1.** Does exposure to literary fiction predict higher empathy
scores?

**H1.** Literary fiction exposure will be positively associated with
both cognitive and affective empathy.

**RQ2.** Is anxiety (state or trait) negatively associated with empathy?

**H2a.** State anxiety will be negatively associated with empathy.

**H2b.** Trait anxiety will be negatively associated with empathy.

**RQ3.** Do anxiety and existential concerns moderate the relationship
between literary fiction exposure and empathy?

**H3.** Anxiety and existential concerns will moderate the effect of
literary fiction exposure on empathy.

### 2.4.2. Mentalisation-Focused Research Questions and Hypotheses

**RQ4.** Does exposure to literary fiction predict higher mentalisation
scores?

**H4.** Literary fiction exposure will be positively associated with
mentalisation.

**RQ5.** Is anxiety (state or trait) negatively associated with
mentalisation?

**H5a.** State anxiety will be negatively associated with mentalisation.

**H5b.** Trait anxiety will be negatively associated with mentalisation.

**RQ6.** Do anxiety and existential concerns moderate the relationship
between literary fiction exposure and mentalisation?

**H6.** Anxiety and existential concerns will moderate the effect of
literary fiction exposure on mentalisation.