The Fascinating Science of Storytelling

Note: The following is mostly a repurposed script for my YT channel. But thought it would be helpful to you, so I wanted to share it here as well.

Storytelling is one of the most important skills in the 21st century.

Within storytelling are the timeless skills of influence, persuasion and connection.

But I’ve always found storytelling to be a subjective, and abstract art.

So today, I’m diving deep into storytelling with a more scientific approach.

So whether you are writing an essay, on a date, or on a job interview, you can fall back on some fundamental principles.

What is storytelling in 2024?

Storytelling is a way of communicating that engages your audience emotionally, or intellectually.

It used to be pretty simple when we were hunter gatherers.

But since the internet came around, stories live in a rich number of formats. Youtube, podcasts. A Linkedin flex. Some of them are 10 minutes long, and some are 30 seconds.

In the past 2 years, I took writing courses, Youtube courses, and even got a communication coach.

And I observed that the key to separating the amateurs from the pros in all these mediums boiled down to great storytelling.

I spent HOURS researching the science of storytelling and I was pretty mind blown.

I’ll break down some of my learnings, and share what it means for you.

Our Brains Are Wired for Stories

One of the key differences between a human and an animal is the neocortex.

A part of the brain that plays a crucial role in our ability to understand and absorb stories.

It sets humans apart from other animals by enabling us to process language, emotions, and abstract ideas.

If storytelling weren’t intrinsic, history would be passed only through data or facts, but our brains crave context and emotion.

Dancing Brains (Neural Coupling)

When our brains hear a story, we feel connected to the storyteller.

Researchers at Princeton University found that when someone tells a story and another person listens, their brain activities synchronize. This phenomenon, known as "neural coupling," shows how stories create shared experiences and understanding between people.

Think about those flight attendants those flight attendants who walk through the process of putting on a life vest.

You’ve heard it a thousand times. It’s the last thing you’re going to pay attention to.

But when they throw in a story, or a joke, you are not only listening. You’re engaged.

If you’re doing a work presentation, instead of saying, “Sales increased by 20% in Q3, costs decreased by 10%”, a simple shift in saying “the team overcame challenges and triumphed,” can make it land.

Stories -> Oxytocin -> Empathy

Dr. Paul Zak from Claremont Graduate University discovered that engaging stories trigger the release of oxytocin in our brains.

This is the same chemical associated with empathy and bonding, which explains why we feel so connected to characters in stories.

As a creator, or entrepreneur, it’s easy to think that you’re creating a product for thousands of people.

But when you build for the masses, your product and messaging, becomes watered down.

That is why Customer Avatars are a powerful tool.

In a recent interview with Shaan Puri, he talks about how his content is for “Jenny at her desk.” Someone who is bored at work, and needs a break.

Jenny at her desk is more of a story, than 25-25 year old professionals.

Side note: Avatars can also be problematic, but that's out of scope here.

Narrative Transportation

Steve Jobs said, “the most powerful person in the room is the storyteller.” And narrative transportation might be why.

This psychological concept describes how stories can transport us into another world.

When we’re immersed in a story, we’re less likely to argue against its ideas, making stories incredibly persuasive.

When executed well, not only is there a suspension of disbelief, it can cause behavior change.

You can see why this can be a powerful tool - used for inspiration, OR manipulation.

In a harmless scenario, it means you’re crying your eyes out watching the Notebook with your boys on a bachelor party.

On the other hand, it can be used by propaganda machines, cult leaders your friend who wants you to do another tequila shot at 2:16am. Bad idea.

Schema Theory (Stories are easier to remember)

Stories also tap into existing mental frameworks called schemas. This helps our brains process and remember information more efficiently. It’s like the story is using familiar pathways in our minds to introduce new ideas.

People don’t remember data as well as stories.

It reminds me of the grim Stalin quote - "The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions is a statistic.

Give me structure

Are you a babbler? I was (and still find myself doing it).

Telling a story is incredibly difficult when you don’t have a structure to fit your story in.

Thankfully, there are a lot of well tested structures that work.

Researchers at the University of Vermont analyzed thousands of stories and found common emotional arcs, like "rags to riches" or "tragedy." And discovered that these patterns suggest there are fundamental ways stories evoke emotions in us.

Think about marketers.

Advertisers and copywriters have frameworks like AIDA, which can be used to create an ad or a landing page.

And you know the classic job interview question - “tell me about yourself?”

I friggin blew it the first 15 times I was asked that.

But then I learned the “Present, Past, Future" storytelling framework.

My success rate with job interviews went through the roof.

Mostly because I told a better story.

I hope this essay helps you breakdown the mysterious and powerful craft of storytelling. It’s a massive topic, and I’m just scratching the surface.

I’ll be diving deeper into storytelling in the next few weeks. Please share this if you found it helpful, and let me know if you have any questions about storytelling!

Have a beautiful weekend!

PS. If you’re receiving this, we’ve interacted in some shape or form. Probably through Imeldá. I won’t have time to bug you every day, but I’ll try my best to write a quality essay once every 2 weeks, and sharing as many lessons I can along the way.