Tapping Into the Power of Storytelling 1 The

Tapping Into the Power of Storytelling 1

The Science of Storytelling Why is Storytelling so Compelling to Humans? A sixth sense? 2

The Science of Storytelling With Story, The Gap Disappears Actual Reality Imagined Reality Source: Prentice, D. & Gerrig, R. J. . (1999). Exploring the boundary between fiction and reality. Dual-process theories in social psychology. New York: Guilford Press, p 529 -546). 3

The Science of Storytelling Stories Can… • Make messages more sticky. • Get rid of the “Yeah, but…” • Motivate the unwilling, the unconcerned and the unmotivated. • Add meaning to facts. Source: Simmons, A. (2001). The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through storytelling New York, New York: Basic Bookis. 4

Using Stories to Spark Change Factual Communication about Smoking • Cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality in the United States and the world. • Smoking-related diseases cause an estimated 440, 000 American deaths each year. • Smoking costs the United States over $150 billion annually in health care costs. • A 2004 Study by the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion found that cigarette smoke contains over 4, 800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. • Women account for 39 percent of all smoking deaths. • The Centers for Disease Control's list of the World's Most addictive substances places is at the top of the list. • In 1953, the New England Journal of Medicine announced that the evidence linking smoking and lung cancer was “so strong as to be considered proof within the everyday meaning of the word. ” Source: 101 Facts about Smoking. Retrieved April 18, 2011 from http: //www. smoking-facts. net/ • Nearly some 90 percent of nonsmokers have some residues of cigarette 5 smoke in their blood.

Using Stories to Spark Change Personal Stories about Smoking “I want to quit smoking so my wife doesn’t have to light candles to cover up the smell. ” -Gary, Centerville, SD 6

Using Stories to Spark Change Coping vs. Mastery Source: Simmons, A. (2001). The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through storytelling New York, New York: Basic Bookis. 7

Using Stories to Spark Change Universal vs. Specific Source: Simmons, A. (2001). The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through storytelling New York, New York: Basic Bookis. 8