“A story can go where quantitative analysis is denied admission: our hearts. Data can persuade people, but it doesn’t inspire them to act; to do that, you need to wrap your vision in a story that fires the imagination and stirs the soul.” – Harrison Monarth
In a 1944, researchers Fritz Heider & Marianne Simmel showed the following animation to research participants. Of the 114 people who watched the video, 111 of them developed a story involving characters, usually people, to explain the movements and motives of the shapes.
Why are we so found of narrative structure? And what is it about stories that moves us so powerfully? Let’s examine the scientific research which shows that stories are valuable because they interest us, connect us, and move us forward.
They Interest Us
A story can capture attention like few other things can. When a speaker starts to tell a story, we pay attention. The US Government has studied the power of using stories to communicate census data to the public. In a recent report they acknowledged that “successful stories make data relevant by putting the audience at the center of the story.” When data or information is being relayed, we can easily keep it at a distance. But when a story is being told, it sparks our interest.
Learning to tell a good story might be the most important thing a speaker can do. Here’s why. Researchers Keith A. Quesenberry and Michael K. Coolsen studied Super Bowl commercials for two years and found that the common thread for the most well-loved and effective commercials was storytelling. It didn’t matter if the company used sex appeals, celebrities, or cute animals. But it did matter if the commercial followed a narrative pattern. Storyline was the one way to predict success.
They Connect Us
We’ve been using stories for thousands of years, so it’s no wonder we have a soft spot for this form of communication. The drawings our ancestors left on cave walls echo in the infographics we create today to disseminate information in story form.
We know that when we tell stories, something very special happens. The emotions evoked within the speaker while he is telling story are actually mirrored in the audience while they listen to the story. This is because we have mirror neurons in our brains. Speaker and coach Doug Stevenson says, “We don’t just listen to stories; we see images and feel emotions. We actually experience the story as if it’s happening to us.” Our brains are wired to create, recognize, and respond to stories. And those stories are how we communicate shared human experience.
They Move Us Forward
Stories are also how we continue to progress. They are one of the most powerful forms of persuasion because they move us. In her book Rising Strong, researcher and speaker Dr. Brené Brown writes, “Each of the stories we tell and hear is like a small flicker of light—when we have enough of them, we will set the world on fire. But I don’t think we can do it without story. It doesn’t matter what community is in question or what the conflict appears to be on the surface, resolution and change will require people to own, share, and rumble with stories.”
Stories are the way we seek to produce change because they are the primary vehicle we use to communicate our experiences. That’s why stories of great human kindness or triumph go “viral,” being shared thousands of times. The story itself becomes movement and motion as it is transferred from person to person, creating conversation and change in its wake.
Those of us who are speakers need to understand the value of stories. Scratch that. Those of us who are humans need to understand the value of stories. They are methods for communicating, connecting, and progressing. And I don’t want to imagine a world (or a speech) without them.
Ready to share your story with the world? Ethos3 has a dedicated team to help you do just that. Get in touch with us now.
