The influence of fiction on the development of empathy: perception of information in a digital educational environment

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the influence of literary texts on the development of empathy in students in a digital educational environment. It highlights the importance of literature as a humanistic resource for shaping the cognitive and emotional components of empathy in the context of the digitalization of education and the transformation of ways of perceiving information. Empathy is considered as an interdisciplinary phenomenon that combines psychological, pedagogical, and cultural aspects. It is noted that the development of the ability to think prospectively, interpret internal states, and realize the emotional complexity of social interactions is part of the educational process. The role of artistic text as a kind of “social laboratory” within which the reader has the opportunity for safe emotional immersion is substantiated. Attention is focused on the importance of empathizing with characters and understanding moral and ethical conflicts. The specifics of the perception of artistic information in a digital educational environment are analyzed, and the peculiarities of the influence of e-books, audiobooks, and interactive texts on the empathetic involvement of students are established. It is emphasized that the results obtained allow us to assert the expediency of the purposeful integration of fiction into the educational process. It has been found that combining humanistic interaction in modern digital society with traditional interaction provides an opportunity to familiarize oneself with the influence of artistic texts in order to develop empathy. The results of a quasi-experimental study confirming the effectiveness of the targeted use of literary texts in combination with reflective tasks in digital learning are presented. A conclusion is made about the expediency of integrating literary works into the educational process as a strategic factor in the development of social and emotional competencies in the digital age.