Narrative transportation: How stories shape how we see ourselves and the world

Scientific interest in the processing and effects of narrative information has substantially increased in recent years. The focus of this chapter is on narrative transportation, an experiential state of immersion in which all mental processes are concentrated on the events occurring in the narrative. We describe and integrate interdisciplinary advances in the study of narrative transportation. After an introduction of the concept and related approaches, we outline antecedents in terms of story factors, individual differences, situational variables, and related interactions. In the following sections, we introduce processes and effects that are facilitated by stories and narrative transportation. This includes research on persuasion, misinformation and its correction, self and identity, social cognitive skills, and the fulfillment of belongingness needs. We close with an outlook on the role of technology and artificial intelligence, meaning making, and climate change communication as emerging and future directions.