The Role of a Narrative's Emotional Flow in Promoting Persuasive Outcomes

Abstract

The study of narrative persuasion has increased dramatically in the past decade. Whereas much of this research focuses on story and character involvement, the role of emotion-and emotional flow specifically-has been understudied. In this article, we explore the multiple ways that the desire for and the experience of emotional shifts may promote the persuasive influence of narratives. First, we propose that the desire for an emotional shift (e.g., mood management) can guide message selection. Then, the emotional flow, or the series of emotional shifts in response to the unfolding story, may promote and sustain continued engagement with the narrative world. As such, influence of the narrative is likely enhanced. We then argue that the heightened state of narrative engagement and its associated emotional states have implications for post-message attitudes, both short-term attitude change as well as over-time change via emotion-driven topic involvement and social sharing. A research agenda for greater integration of emotion into narrative research is proposed.Stories can make readers laugh, cry, or gasp with surprise-sometimes all within the course of a few moments. Narratives are a compelling way of conveying information, but they are also valued for their ability to evoke

Connecting the dots between fantasy and reality: The social psychology of our engagement with fictional narrative and its functional value

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