The narrative arc: Revealing core narrative structures through text analysis
Abstract
Scholars across disciplines have long debated the existence of a common structure that underlies narratives. Using computer-based language analysis methods, several structural and psychological categories of language were measured across ~40,000 traditional narratives (e.g., novels and movie scripts) and ~20,000 nontraditional narratives (science reporting in newspaper articles, TED talks, and Supreme Court opinions). Across traditional narratives, a consistent underlying story structure emerged that revealed three primary processes: staging, plot progression, and cognitive tension. No evidence emerged to indicate that adherence to normative story structures was related to the popularity of the story. Last, analysis of fact-driven texts revealed structures that differed from story-based narratives.
Cite this
Ryan L. Boyd, Kate G. Blackburn, James W. Pennebaker (2020). The narrative arc: Revealing core narrative structures through text analysis. Science Advances. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba2196
@article{l2020the,
title = {The narrative arc: Revealing core narrative structures through text analysis},
author = {Boyd, Ryan L. and Blackburn, Kate G. and Pennebaker, James W.},
year = {2020},
journal = {Science Advances},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aba2196}
}Citations in this library
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