Toward a Dynamic Model of Empathy, Narrative Transportation, and Autobiographical Memory

• In Event: Transportation and Media Entertainment

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to examine real-time audience processing of narratives in conjunction with and in comparison to more traditional measures of narrative engagement that utilize static pre and posttest measures. More specifically, we explored the role of state emotions, trait empathy, and personal experiences in narrative transportation in an effort to demonstrate that the audience fluctuates between identification and spectatorship; between immersion and self reflection. While the specific findings varied by show to some extent, an overall pattern emerges that self-referencing and real-world-referencing are positively related to overall transportation and enjoyment, and self and real-world-referencing also occur in close temporal proximity to emotion sharing and perspective taking in real time. Strengths and weaknesses of the present study are discussed, as well as future directions.

Authors

• James G Collier, The Ohio State University

• John Tchernev, Miami U

• Zheng Joyce Wang, The Ohio State University

• Jennifer Tyrawski