We often express the feeling of ‘being moved’ in everyday language ­– but what does it mean? Beate Seibt, Professor in Social Psychology at The University of Oslo, has developed a scientific framework for the study of ‘kama muta’ or, the experience of being moved. In a conversation with Karin Kukkonen, she discusses how kama muta relates to both literature and our everyday lives. Can social media make us feel closer to others, and are we really ‘moved’ by cat videos? Why does reading fiction evoke such strong emotions?

The reading recommendation from Beate Seibt:

Rebecca Solnit, The Faraway Nearby (external link).

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