Reading isn’t natural for humans – but storytelling is. Using decades of data, my new research highlights the role of parents in encouraging a love of books long before children start school.
- Professor of Psychology, University of Otago
Most teens experience a dip in their well-being and the pandemic has exacerbated this pattern. But parents can safeguard their teenagers’ mental health by sharing stories from a very young age.
Our relationships with characters from books and screen – called parasocial relationships – serve many of the same functions as our friendships with real people, minus the infection risks.
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