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Chapter 3. Narrative persuasion

Effects of transporting stories on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors
  • Kaitlin S. Fitzgerald and Melanie C. Green
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Narrative Absorption
This chapter is in the book Narrative Absorption

Abstract

Narrative transportation theory is used to explain the processes that occur when an individual experiences a story. Transportation refers to the feeling of being immersed in a narrative, a state of cognitive, affective, and mental imagery engagement. Transportation can occur across media for both factual and fictional stories, and is typically measured with a self-report scale (Green & Brock, 2000). Transportation is a key mechanism underlying narrative influence on recipients’ attitudes and beliefs. Narrative persuasion through transportation has been demonstrated with a variety of topics, including health, social issues, and consumer products. Transportation theory suggests several mechanisms to explain this phenomenon, including reduced counter arguing, connections with characters, heightened perceptions of realism, the formation of vivid mental imagery, and emotional engagement.

Abstract

Narrative transportation theory is used to explain the processes that occur when an individual experiences a story. Transportation refers to the feeling of being immersed in a narrative, a state of cognitive, affective, and mental imagery engagement. Transportation can occur across media for both factual and fictional stories, and is typically measured with a self-report scale (Green & Brock, 2000). Transportation is a key mechanism underlying narrative influence on recipients’ attitudes and beliefs. Narrative persuasion through transportation has been demonstrated with a variety of topics, including health, social issues, and consumer products. Transportation theory suggests several mechanisms to explain this phenomenon, including reduced counter arguing, connections with characters, heightened perceptions of realism, the formation of vivid mental imagery, and emotional engagement.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Narrative absorption 1
  5. Part I. Conceptualization of narrative absorption
  6. Chapter 1. Beyond metaphors and traditions 11
  7. Chapter 2. Towards a new understanding of absorbing reading experiences 29
  8. Chapter 3. Narrative persuasion 49
  9. Chapter 4. Immersion into narrative and poetic worlds 69
  10. Chapter 5. Into film 97
  11. Chapter 6. “Spellbound in darkness” 119
  12. Chapter 7. Antecedents of identification 133
  13. Part II. Empirical studies on narrative absorption
  14. Chapter 8. Identifying with in-game characters 157
  15. Chapter 9. The effect of suspense structure on felt suspense and narrative absorption in literature and film 177
  16. Chapter 10. Elaboration, emotion, and transportation 199
  17. Chapter 11. Forms of absorption that facilitate the aesthetic and explanatory effects of literary reading 217
  18. Part III. Outcomes of narrative absorption
  19. Chapter 12. Absorption and meaningfulness 253
  20. Chapter 13. The role of absorption processes in narrative health communication 271
  21. Chapter 14. Absorption in narrative fiction and its possible impact on social abilities 293
  22. Index 315
https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.27.04fit

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Narrative absorption 1
  5. Part I. Conceptualization of narrative absorption
  6. Chapter 1. Beyond metaphors and traditions 11
  7. Chapter 2. Towards a new understanding of absorbing reading experiences 29
  8. Chapter 3. Narrative persuasion 49
  9. Chapter 4. Immersion into narrative and poetic worlds 69
  10. Chapter 5. Into film 97
  11. Chapter 6. “Spellbound in darkness” 119
  12. Chapter 7. Antecedents of identification 133
  13. Part II. Empirical studies on narrative absorption
  14. Chapter 8. Identifying with in-game characters 157
  15. Chapter 9. The effect of suspense structure on felt suspense and narrative absorption in literature and film 177
  16. Chapter 10. Elaboration, emotion, and transportation 199
  17. Chapter 11. Forms of absorption that facilitate the aesthetic and explanatory effects of literary reading 217
  18. Part III. Outcomes of narrative absorption
  19. Chapter 12. Absorption and meaningfulness 253
  20. Chapter 13. The role of absorption processes in narrative health communication 271
  21. Chapter 14. Absorption in narrative fiction and its possible impact on social abilities 293
  22. Index 315
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