We tend to mistakenly believe that immediate true events will make us sadder.
And that might be because we become so absorbed in the story that we tend to momentarily forget it's not real or distant to us.
The results suggest that while emphasizing a true story might entice those seeking deep feelings...
The researchers write:
[Consumers] may choose to see a play about their hometown, watch a live basketball game on television, or read a novel based on a true story, but miss out on seeing a more enjoyable play about a distant city, watching a more exciting basketball game recorded earlier, or reading a more entertaining fictional novel.