Behind their dark tales, chilling dystopias and hyper-connected futures, shows like “Black Mirror” may well bring out the best in us. So suggests a study published in the journal Communication Research, which reveals that, far from dehumanising viewers, science fiction could actually strengthen our ability to feel empathy, connect with others, and feel a shared sense of destiny.

Conducted in China, this study, reported on by PsyPost, analysed the reactions of over 2,000 people in four distinct experiments – and it all begins with awe, that human emotion felt when confronted with something bigger or more significant than ourselves.

First, the researchers asked 1,060 adults to think back to movies or TV shows that had evoked strong emotion. They found that science fiction topped the list of genres that provoked the most awe, far ahead of romance or comedy.

The researchers then tested this effect in two experiments, in which close to 1,000 participants read either a sci-fi story, a realistic version of the same story, or no story at all. For example, one group read a story about humans trying to escape from a giant asteroid, while another read about a forest-fire evacuation.

Those who immersed themselves in the world of science fiction felt more awe – and, above all, a greater connection with humanity as a whole. Imagination thus acts as a powerful emotional catalyst, broadening our field of vision and pushing us to think bigger, beyond our immediate circles.

As it turns out, science fiction, in its most popular form today – be it in books, television or movies – is not just a device for portraying impending doom. It invites us to think and question, and often, to FEEL more strongly.

The final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale”, for example, has revived current societal questions about US president Donald Trump’s politics. According to the researchers, the profound dilemmas and unprecedented perspectives presented by sci-fi nurture the feeling of belonging to a shared humanity; as such, these stories are more likely than others to trigger existential, moral or collective reflection.

In the third experiment, the researchers followed 543 university students over a two-month period through three phases. At each stage, the participants indicated how often they had recently consumed works of science fiction, how intensely they had experienced awe in their daily lives, and to what extent they felt connected to humanity as a whole.

The results showed that the more regularly the students were exposed to science fiction, the more awe they experienced over time – an emotion which, in turn, strengthened their sense of identification with the human race as a whole.

Finally, the last study looked at the preferences of participants who already had a strong sense of belonging to humanity. These individuals tended to consume more sci-fi content, suggesting the existence of a virtuous circle: the more we feel connected to humanity, the more we are drawn to stories that explore our collective fate, and vice-versa.

All in all, the findings suggest that the awe triggered by science fiction is not simply an aesthetic thrill: it’s linked to prosocial behaviour, greater openness to others, and expanding the mind.

So the next time you binge-watch a dystopian show, remember: this immersion in the imaginary may well have a very real effect of reconnecting you to humanity as a whole.