Category Archives: narrative science

Hacking your mood with a Strawberry Letter

Posted on 22 February 2021 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

A couple of weeks ago, I popped into the First National Taphouse to pick up the dinner we’d ordered, and on their sound system was a song I hadn’t heard, or thought about, in years. It was the Brothers Johnson, … Continue reading →

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The hidden danger of stories – and a friendly alternative

Posted on 1 February 2021 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Audiences loved the 2019 Downton Abbey movie, but some reviewers found fault. The New York Times review noted there was “barely enough plot to go around.” The critic for RogerEbert.com frames it more positively: It’s a movie about seeing people … Continue reading →

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When is a story not a story?

Posted on 27 January 2021 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

This question comes up a lot in my line of work – honestly, all too often. Let’s start with a definition. A story is a description of a particular event or series of events with a focus on one or … Continue reading →

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The Twelve Super-Stories

Posted on 14 September 2020 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Let’s imagine you’ve been invited to speak to your entire country! You have to talk about current events (sorry, no sharing your hobbies or bragging about your kids), and the purpose of your talk is not just to educate, but … Continue reading →

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Three relationships with our collective stories: Authority, democracy, and the big yawn

Posted on 21 August 2020 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

Last week, I showed that giving people the facts not only won’t make them listen, it all too often makes them double-down and get even more entrenched in their beliefs. Understandably, this is frustrating! This week I’m going to share … Continue reading →

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Stories-About-Us: How They Work

Posted on 10 July 2020 by Laura Akers, Ph.D.

In my last few blog posts, I’ve been focusing on our “stories about us” (“metanarratives”) – the topic of the book I’m writing. I hope the book will reach a broad audience, because it’s vital information we all need to … Continue reading →

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