Stories connect our audience with the emotions we wish to convey. This is often referred to as ‘narrative transport’, the psychological process of creating empathy and a sense of coherence.
The power of story-telling has always been understood (consider oral history).
But here’s the rub.
Neuroscience has finally caught up with our oral tradition and now shows us just ‘how’ our brains mirror some of the activities within stories. These activities create bonds within us that can lead to changed beliefs, changed attitudes and changed behaviours.
We know biology drives our emotions, such as the release of oxytocin (the feel good chemical) when we hear good aspects in a story, or the release of dopamine from our limbic (reward centre) that triggers feelings of hope and optimism when we hear happy endings. It is no surprise then that story-telling is one of the most powerful means of communication.
Stories are how we make sense of the world.
This is related to what is called ‘episodic’ memory; the brain’s own need for direction and pattern (ie, a beginning, a middle and an end) and for cause and effect. If stories offer reasons or causes they will be more easily believed as our brains search for meaning, for the cause, and for a purpose.
There are classic plot devises, structural techniques and archetypal characters that are brought into play to help us shape our stories and bring out the emotional intensity needed to engage our audience. But in a practical sense story-tellers are likely to start with:
A beginning;
This is where we set the scene and identify the main characters and the conflict to come. This is the ‘will they/ won’t they’ tension. This ensures the audience wants to go along on the journey to see what happens.
A middle;
This is where we engage in the struggle. The ups and downs, the twists and turns, the change and development, and importantly the awakening. To truly engage our emotions this is where you are likely to experience the use of, if at all possible, all 5 key senses; sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. It is our emotional intensity that drives our thinking and so our behaviour.
And an end;
This is where the conflict has been overcome and where there is resolution. At this point there will be clarity on the message any story-teller is leaving their audience with.
Stories then help connect our audience with the emotions we wish to convey. This is often referred to as ‘narrative transport’, the psychological process of creating empathy. This also aligns our audiences brain with our own, known as ‘neural coupling’ bringing about a sense of coherence.
Alongside empathy and coherence you are also bringing about, as already mentioned, the production of oxytocin and dopamine which increases your audiences feelings of generosity and trust.
Bringing it all together
Stories connect people. They bring us all closer together. Understanding the mechanics of this is a must for authors and artists, and anything in between.
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Email me direct if you are interested in mindful, trauma-informed, intimacy or spiritual coaching, or if you would like to join my new Pink Tantra Towards Awakening group for chat rooms, video channels and in-person workshops around tantra and intimacy practices robert.pinktantra@gmail.com
See my personal development / personality profiling book DISCover the Power of You published through John Hunt Publishing Ltd, 2017. ISBN: 978-1-78535-591-2
And for a bit of light reading, see my first historical fictional novel Fermented Spirits published through Austin Macauley Publishers, 2022. ISBN-13: 978-1398437159