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Memory and comprehension of narrative versus expository texts: A meta-analysis
Raymond A Mar1, Jingyuan Li2, Anh T P Nguyen2
1Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele St. W., Toronto, ON, M3J1P3, Canada. mar@yorku.ca.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|January 7, 2021
Summary
Stories are easier to understand and recall than essays, according to a meta-analysis of memory and comprehension research. This finding holds true across diverse studies and participants, impacting information retention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Information Science
Background:
- Texts are broadly categorized into narratives (stories) and exposition (essays).
- Theories suggest stories enhance understanding and recall compared to essays.
- Empirical evidence on this topic has been inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing research on the comprehension and memory of narrative versus expository texts.
- To determine if stories are indeed easier to understand and recall than essays.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of experimental studies.
- Included over 75 unique samples and data from more than 33,000 participants.
- Investigated memory and comprehension of narrative and expository texts.
Main Results:
- Found that stories are significantly easier to understand and better recalled than essays.
- This effect was robust and not moderated by study characteristics.
- Results were consistent across various effect-size calculations and study inclusions.
Conclusions:
- Narrative texts (stories) facilitate superior information acquisition and retention compared to expository texts (essays).
- Findings have broad implications for educational practices and any field focused on effective information transfer.
- The superiority of stories in comprehension and recall is a reliable phenomenon.
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