1 Definition
Storytelling involves using various methods or media to relate a detailed narration of a character’s struggles to overcome obstacles and reach an important goal (Haven 2007). This approach is also sometimes referred to as “narrative,” which is defined as any cohesive and coherent story with an identifiable beginning, middle, and end that provides information about scene, characters, and conflict; raises unanswered questions or unresolved conflict; and provides resolution (Hinyard and Kreuter 2007).
While these definitions focus on the story itself, the act of storytelling can be defined as the “vivid description of ideas, beliefs, personal experiences, and life-lessons through stories or narratives that evoke powerful emotions and insights” (Serrat 2017).
For stories with a purpose beyond mere entertainment, such as behavior change, Lugmayr et al. (2017) propose the term “serious storytelling” (similar to the field of serious games), where “the narration progresses as a...
Keywords
- Storytelling
- Stories
- Narrative
- Entertainment education
- Story-based communication
- Social marketing
- Behavior change
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Further Reading
Hinyard, L. J., & Kreuter, M. W. (2007b). Using narrative communication as a tool for health behavior change: A conceptual, theoretical, and empirical overview. Health Education and Behavior, 34(5), 777–792. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198106291963.
Singhal, A., Cody, M. J., Rogers, E. M., & Sabido, M. (Eds.). (2004). Entertainment-education and social change: History, research and practice. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Haven, K. (2007b). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
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Weinreich, N.K. (2021). Storytelling in Social Marketing. In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Social Marketing. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14449-4_101-1
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