I often talk about storytelling in my advising and coaching appointments. We talk about using CART or STAR frameworks in interviews, or how an elevator pitch or a resume summary are powerful tools in a job search.
What does telling stories actually do to our minds, and why is storytelling so powerful? Annie Murphy Paul’s book titled The Extended Mind does a brilliant job of pulling together research about why we love stories and how they impact us (10/10 recommend):
When we listen to a story, our brain experiences the action as if it were happening to us. We actually run a simulation of the stories we hear in our own mind, as we are listening to them. Like a movie reel, in our minds. We also remember stories more accurately, and we pay closer attention to them than we would discrete facts. Stories evoke a lot of emotion and resonance for us. Our subconscious mind speaks in emotion, and emotional resonance helps us remember things. Now I know why Simba defeating Scar had us all cheering too 💪🏽
Our brains crave causal content and connections. We absorb more information when we can see how A leads to B, then C, and so on. Hence the power of those interview frameworks all career advisors relentlessly flaunt.
What is even more curious: when we hear or see stories that capture human motives and choices (Survivor or Perfect Match, anyone?), we want to know more. Why is this so? Because we actually remember and resonate more with information that is social in nature. We are primed to pay attention to and decode social relationships around us.
Curious to learn more? See below for links!
Annie Murphy Paul, The Extended Mind: https://anniemurphypaul.com/books/the-extended-mind/ (Chapter 8: Thinking with Peers, the next two sources are from there)
Daniel T. Willingham, The privileged status of story, American Educator, 2004
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://kbsgk12project.kbs.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Ask-the-Cognitive-Scientist.pdf
Paul J. Zak, “Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative”, Cerebrum 2 (January-February 2015) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4445577/