Once Upon a Time

Varun Kheria
Mar 13, 2024
4 min read

Isn't storytelling a bit magical? It can take us to worlds we’ve never seen, make us feel emotions we never thought we’d feel, and imagine things that go beyond the scope of this universe! A good story can completely absorb you, transporting you to another life entirely. Whether it's a captivating novel, an inspiring TED talk, a moving film, or even a bedtime story, storytelling has the powerful ability to capture our attention and touch our emotions.

Today we’ll focus on how and why storytelling can be a powerful tool for learning. Throughout history, humans have used stories to impart knowledge, exchange experiences, and teach valuable lessons. From the earliest cave art to the legendary narratives of mythology, storytelling has played a crucial role in human culture and society. It is culturally universal and is likely the oldest form of teaching. It enables the sharing of cultural knowledge across generations.

This is because our brains are wired to respond to stories, making it an effective way to transmit information. What sort of stories do you think humans were telling through the painting of a warty pig on the walls of a cave hidden in a highland valley on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi 45,500 years ago? I wonder how different those stories must have been from the stories that our parents tell us right before they tuck us into bed.

Imagine yourself sitting in a class and listening to your physics teacher talk about the intricacies of quantum physics. Now, compare that to sitting around a campfire with someone like Carl Sagan, a seasoned science communicator, who weaves a tale about the mysteries of the universe. He uses vivid imagery and relatable characters or events to explain complex concepts. Which one do you think would stick with you longer?

The Cognitive Magic of Stories

Cognitive science has provided interesting insights into the effectiveness of storytelling as a learning tool. It appears that our brains are naturally inclined to process information in the form of stories. [1] Research by Paul Hazel (2008) suggests that human brains have evolved to process lived experiences sequentially similar to the narrative structure of a story. This structure aligns with the way we organize and make sense of our memories, indicating that storytelling is a fundamental aspect of how our minds operate. [1]

There are other fundamental aspects of how our minds work that also contribute to stories being such an impactful medium. Our ability to understand and empathize with characters, known as intersubjectivity, allows us to immerse ourselves in stories and fill in the unwritten gaps about their perspectives [2]. In Everything Everywhere All at Once, when we see that Ke Huy Quan’s Waymond is trying to reach out to Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn and work on their marriage, but he is constantly being side lined because of how divided Evelyn’s attention is, we strongly empathize with him. While we don’t know ALL the details of their lives, we can to a certain extent imagine what they must have gone through and what they must be feeling at that point.

Neuroscience research suggests that our brains respond to stories as if they were real experiences. Various studies have shown that our brains light up similarly when we view or read stories as they do in real-life situations. The experience of storytelling engages the limbic system, mirror neurons, neurotransmitters, and cortical pathways. This phenomenon is called "narrative transportation," and it is palpable. To many areas of our brains, the story's world feels real, and we become fully immersed in it [4]. We know that Lord of The Rings is a fictional fantasy tale, but the characters and the world feel real and lived in because of how detailed and well crafted it is!

As we find ourselves getting more immersed in a story, our mind starts to engage in active comprehension and tries to make sense of the information we’re given. Moreover, our capacity for hypothetical thinking enables us to imagine possible worlds within the narrative – our brain tries to predict where the story is going! This enhances our cognitive engagement with the story [3]. The most obvious examples of this are murder mysteries! How often do you find yourself wondering who the murderer is in an Agatha Christie book? There’s a Hercule Poirot in all of our brains, who carefully examines all the clues the author gives us, even when we’re not consciously doing so!

But perhaps the most powerful aspect of storytelling is its ability to inspire and motivate us. Stories can ignite our imaginations, awaken our curiosity, and fuel our passions. Stories challenge our assumptions, show us what's possible, and push us to think outside the box. Whether they are classic tales like Cinderella, The Little Prince, and Akbar and Birbal, or more modern masterpieces like Badhai Do, The Last Jedi or The Hunger Games series - stories have the power to change our hearts and minds.