Great stories undermine strong facts

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/sfpa-fas081619.php

News Release 19-Aug-2019
Facts and stories: Great stories undermine strong facts
Society for Personality and Social Psychology

ome research shows facts are better received when presented on their own. Other studies show facts are more accepted when interwoven with stories; stories can help bridge emotional connections. If someone is trying to persuade or influence others, should they use a story or stick to the facts? According to research from social psychologists at Northwestern University, stories can increase the persuasiveness of weak facts, but actually decrease the persuasiveness of strong facts.

"Stories persuade, at least in part, by disrupting the ability to evaluate facts, rather than just biasing a person to think positively," says Rebecca Krause, who coauthored the paper with Derek Rucker.

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