The Role of Storytelling Advocacy

Stories generate trust

This literature review focuses on the use of face-to-face personal storytelling for advocacy purposes with the goal of informing the work of Living Proof Advocacy, the organizations it works with, and others engaged in personal storytelling for change. First, we examine the literature that discusses how effective stories are in changing minds and advancing causes and why certain stories or approaches to personal storytelling are more effective than others. Then, we discuss a variety of options advocates and evaluators can use to determine the effectiveness of any given advocacy effort that utilizes personal storytelling. The following is a brief summary of our findings.

Stories are compelling because they engage the listeners and build familiarity and trust with them. It allows the audience to enter the story’s world and become more willing to understand. 

For example, when a climate activist speaks about the rate of CO2 that needs to be reduced in the environment, the listeners only hear numbers they can’t comprehend. Whereas if the activist shares stories about the impact CO2 generation has had on the living conditions of the local population, the audience learns about the impact it can have on their lives and become proactive.

Why should advocates tell their stories?

People naturally think in stories; some have described stories as the “default mode of human thought.” They support information processing, memory development, and provide cohesion to complex situations. Stories, and particularly those about individuals:

1. Elicit greater empathy than facts and statistics
2. Can motivate those who hear them to take positive action
3. Lower audience members’ resistance to new ideas Because of this, those who aim for audience members to come away with new knowledge of a topic or with increased empathy for others should use personal stories to convey their message.

How can stories be most effective?

Stories are a useful tool for advocates and can become even more powerful when used strategically. The literature describes certain characteristics of stories that make them especially persuasive:

• Transportation, in which audience members are absorbed by the story
• Relatability, in which audience members can see themselves in the story
• Emotionality, in which audience members feel for and empathize with the storyteller.

Stories are an inherently persuasive form of communication that can influence audiences’ real-world knowledge and beliefs through “transporting” them into the story. Story transportation lends itself to persuasion through stimulating emotional involvement, reducing resistance to new or different ideas, and making abstract ideas feel tangible and concrete.

The Emotional Impact of Personal Narratives

Personal narratives hold the power to shape our identities, influencing how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. When we share our stories, we invite others into our world, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding. The challenges we’ve overcome, the lessons we’ve learned, and the moments of triumph all contribute to the mosaic of our lives.

Sharing our personal narratives can be a cathartic experience. It allows us to externalize our thoughts and emotions, providing clarity and perspective. Through storytelling, individuals often find solace, healing, and a sense of closure. Personal narratives become a tool for self-reflection and growth, enabling us to navigate the complexities of our inner worlds.

Moreover, personal narratives have the power to inspire. When we share our stories of resilience, vulnerability, and triumph, we create a ripple effect that resonates with others facing similar struggles. Our narratives become beacons of hope, reminding others that they are not alone in their journey.

Ethical Considerations in Storytelling

1. Be respectful: Ethical storytellers prioritize the privacy and agency of their protagonist(s) by obtaining permission to tell their story and use their name, images, and other personal information.
2. Be inclusive: Power dynamics often determine whose stories are heard and how they’re told. When we are aware of and acknowledge this fact, we can take steps to be more inclusive.
3. Be responsible: Be accurate. Be aboveboard. Be authentic. Remember that you will be held accountable for your work, so transparency is key.
4. Don’t sensationalize the suffering of others: Overhyping rarely leads to positive outcomes. Your ‘enhanced’ rendition of the account may be more captivating, but I can assure you that it is not worth losing the trust of your constituents and facing the wrath of “cancel culture.”
5. Don’t perpetuate negative stereotypes or harmful tropes: Instead, highlight individual experiences. This approach helps us see the nuance and complexity of people’s lives and creates a deeper connection with them.

Don’t Fear monger: Fear mongering is the manipulative cousin of conveying what is at stake. Rather than aiming to be informative or helpful, it preys on people’s emotions by evoking fear and panic.

Community Engagement Through Storytelling

The most common four compelling ways in which storytelling can significantly enhance organizations’ community engagement efforts both virtually and in-person

1. Creating Emotional Connections:

Storytelling has the ability to evoke emotions, creating a profound connection between organizations and their communities.

2. Building a Sense of Community Identity:

Stories are the threads that weave the tapestry of a community’s identity. Organizations can leverage storytelling to contribute to and reinforce this shared identity.

3. Enhancing Communication and Understanding:

Effective communication is at the core of successful community engagement, and storytelling serves as a bridge between organizations and their audiences.

4. Inspiring Action and Participation:

The true measure of successful community engagement lies in the actions and participation it inspires. Storytelling has the potential to motivate individuals to get involved, contribute, and become active participants in community initiatives.

How stories can impact public policies

Stories have emotional power: Everyone loves a good story. Our collective storytelling tradition as a species goes back over 50,000 years. It is in our DNA. After food and shelter, storytelling is what we use to make sense of our existence. It is through storytelling that we bond beyond any logic and reason. The life-long friendship of the two leading intellectuals and lovers of the twentieth century — Hannah Arendt (who was Jewish) and Martin Heidegger (who became a Nazi supporter) still baffles many. Their bond may go beyond our logic, but it made emotional sense to them.

Stories build trust: People have grown savvy to the ways companies and other interest groups advocate for issues from a position of self-interest, which is why eye-rolling at greenwashing campaigns is a sport these days. Honest and authentic storytelling can overcome this trust gap and demonstrate how you are genuinely committed to creating positive change for its own sake.

Storytelling inspires change: People are much more likely to remember an authentic story than data. Stories stimulate the entire brain — not just the logic centres, but also the portions of the brain that govern sight, sound, smell, movement, emotion, and understanding.