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Chapter 10. Elaboration, emotion, and transportation

Implications for conceptual analysis and textual features
  • Peter Dixon and Marisa Bortolussi
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Narrative Absorption
This chapter is in the book Narrative Absorption

Abstract

A central component of absorption is the compelling metaphor of “transportation into the story world.” Here, we considered four variables related to transportation and absorption more generally: evoked realism, emotional response, and personal memories as well as transportation. We collected data on these variables from a large crowd-sourced survey of readers’ reactions to their most recently read novel. To provide insight into the causal relations among these variables, we identified the best-fitting structural equation model for these data. The model indicated that transportation was a function of emotional responses, and emotional responses were a function of both evoked realism and personal memories. This analysis was interpreted in terms of the cognitive process of story world elaboration.

Abstract

A central component of absorption is the compelling metaphor of “transportation into the story world.” Here, we considered four variables related to transportation and absorption more generally: evoked realism, emotional response, and personal memories as well as transportation. We collected data on these variables from a large crowd-sourced survey of readers’ reactions to their most recently read novel. To provide insight into the causal relations among these variables, we identified the best-fitting structural equation model for these data. The model indicated that transportation was a function of emotional responses, and emotional responses were a function of both evoked realism and personal memories. This analysis was interpreted in terms of the cognitive process of story world elaboration.

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.27.11dix

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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