Almost every time a popular book becomes a movie, the debate returns. Someone inevitably says, "The book was better." It happens with fantasy stories, thrillers, romance novels and even biographies. For some people, this statement has become almost automatic. At first glance, it may sound like they are trying to appear sophisticated or dismissive of movies. But psychology suggests something deeper may be happening. People who consistently believe books are better than movies are not necessarily criticizing cinema. Their brains may simply process stories differently. Several well-established psychological theories help explain why.
