I agree with the idea that you are turned into the writer . When you're reading a novel that has a storyline, and you are super invested and interested in the plot, you'll find yourself adding onto the story. You may add parts or scenes when you are trying to guess what is going to happen next. I don't think this applies though to the fact that turning you into the writer makes you try to understand the characters better.

not only do they give a real example they give the results to support their argument.

A descriptive explanation of the details of such of an experiment make this theory much more believable.

I agree that I think as humans empathy has many limitations and what can be expected is also limited. Our brains are not able to evolve during a day, therefore it might take longer to instinctively become empathetic to everyone not specifically similar.

Virtual reality doesn't just have you read someones words off a paper, as doing that you can easily become uninterested and lose focus. Virtual reality makes you believe you are physically there and present in whatever situation is presented.

It makes more sense to me that the people who are watching a fictional television show are going to be able to better understand how people are feeling just from seeing their eyes. They have already seen the picture of the emotion before in the fictional situation.

This does make some sense to me. A nonfictional essay is going to be a list of facts and statements that yes will make you empathetic but not as empathetic as a novel describing a womans specific experience.

does that mean all fiction books with prompt empathy? I feel as though for example a Steven Spielberg novel will have different effects on a persons empathy then say a Nicholas Sparks novel.

When reading fiction you feel the emotions of the characters through the authors description and use of imagery, aka his words. Unless it is a picture book you wont see what the character actually looks like in the scenario so how do we really know there is any correlation regarding fiction readers and being able to judge emotions on simply seeing someones eyes?