Narative transportation
What is it?
“Narative Transportation” is a combitation of two nouns that refers to the psychological experience of becoming deeply immersed in a story. Narrative transport occurs when a person is so engrossed in a story that they temporarily lose awareness of their immediate surroundings. That person ‘mentally travels’ or becomes immersed in the world described in the narrative.
How does it work?
When experiencing narrative transportation, individuals create vivid mental images around the story’s plot and characters. This occurs because people often have emotional reactions to the narrative, empathising with the characters and their experiences. During transport, individuals may lose track of time and their physical surroundings, experiencing a sense of detachment from the real world. Thus all mental processes, including attention, emotions and imagery, are focused on the events of the narrative.
Which consequences has it?
Narrative transport can have a significant impact on individuals. For example, people who experience narrative transport may find that their attitudes and beliefs change to align more closely with those presented in the story. These changes in a person’s perceptions and beliefs can become long-lasting, even after the story has ended.
Another effect is that stories that induce narrative transportation may be especially effective in persuading individuals, as they are less likely to counter-argue or critically evaluate the message while immersed in it.
What are the aplications?
Narrative transportation is not limited to reading. But it can occur in a variety of media, such as films, podcasts and even video games. This concept has applications in fields such as marketing, education and psychology. Where the power of storytelling can be harnessed to engage audiences and potentially influence their perspectives.
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