Based on their study results, researchers at University of Kaiserslautern-Landau and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggest that telling stories can dissolve the dehumanization. True stories of personal experiences in which true facts about the political issues are embedded. This is consistent with the broader finding of consumer research that with disagreements such as political positions, where emotional engagement is high, personal stories are more persuasive than impersonal numbers. But better yet is a synergistic combination of tales and facts.
The researchers were interested in how news media and social media can improve partisan relations and not inflame partisan tensions. They conclude that the best stories for reporters to tell describe ways strongly held political beliefs led to or avoided personal harm. The result is that people with opposing views are considered less as an enemy. Sharing personal experiences mentally transports listeners into the narrative, which curbs counterarguing. Talking about harm facilitates empathy because we all fear harm.
Prior research identifies four additional characteristics of persuasive stories:
- Authenticity. Keep important details the same each time you tell the tale. Reports of outrageous outcomes in bizarre circumstances are not influential.
- Conciseness. Keep it short. Make the point of each story crystal clear.
- Reversal. Use contrast to highlight differences among points of view. If the contrast is good versus bad, though, be careful not to portray an opponent’s views as evil.
- Humor. Like narrative transportation, humor heads off counterarguments. Your audience is too busy chuckling to challenge points of your story. Check that the humor doesn’t ridicule the target’s point of view. A touch of self-deprecation in the humor portrays humility, which people in many cultures find endearing.
Starting off by asking about the experiences of your targets of political persuasion is another validated tactic. Listen to stories of life experiences told by the partisan which have led to mistaken beliefs and then share true stories that illustrate a more accurate worldview. All this should be conducted with the exchange of tales in ways which sidestep personal judgments of each other. The objective is to let others know they’ve been fooled without making them think they’re fools.
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