From involvement to effects: Current research in narrative persuasion

People regularly engage with narratives, ranging from literary stories to popular media. Such narratives can influence real-world attitudes and behaviors, particularly if individuals are transported or immersed in the narrative world, and if they identify with narrative characters. The current article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding narrative processes and effects. Research has provided greater understanding of transportability (individual differences in the tendency to become transported) across cultures, the role of narrative content variations such as framing and narrative perspective, and the effects of emotional flow and character depth. Studies have also highlighted important effects specific to narratives about intergroup relations and environmental issues, as well as narrative effects on well-being. An emerging issue is the evaluation and effects of AI-generated narratives. Taken together, this work increases understanding of the psychology of narrative processing as well as providing guidance for the effective use of narratives to address social issues.