Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
On the nature of personal narratives of high quality
H K Ulatowska1, G Streit Olness1, A M Samson2
1University of Texas at Dallas, Callier Center for Communication Disorders, Dallas, USA.
Abstract:
This investigation explores the discourse devices associated with high-quality personal narratives. The study examined normative characteristics of 11 high-quality personal narratives of a frightening experience identified (from a larger set of 72 narratives) for their effectiveness in engaging the audience. Lay ratings and an ethnographic interview with seven of the excellent storytellers further characterized the stories and validated their selection. Narratives of both African Americans and Caucasians were represented, and were similar in nature. The excellent narratives were longer, conveyed more fearful topics, and were more dramatic than average narratives. Drama was achieved through direct speech, prosodic shifts, voice changes, inclusion of multiple characters, repetition, and syntactic and semantic parallelism. Illustrative narrative excerpts are provided. This study illustrates the potential in pairing holistic and analytical approaches to narrative analysis.
Related Concept Videos
Autobiographical Memory
Personal Identity
Life Histories
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
Social Foundations of Self IV: Self in Digital Communication
Self Within Cultural Contexts

