The study compared the experiences and perspectives of pupils who took part in this storytelling intervention to peers in a control group. “This study highlights how personal storytelling can bridge divides and foster meaningful human connection,” said Lee Keylock, Vice President of Global Impact at Narrative 4.
The study – Promoting Empathy, Connection, and Pro-Sociality in American High Schools: A Collaboration Between Academics and Practitioners — evaluated 380 10th- and 11th-grade students (aged 15–17) across a politically diverse spectrum during the 2024–2025 school year.
Researchers Dr Emily Kubin of the University of Oxford and Dr Kurt Gray of The Ohio State University measured empathy, curiosity, perspective-taking, classroom climate and civic readiness before and after the young people shared stories with one another. Compared to students in the control group, the study found that students who participated in the storytelling intervention experienced the following key benefits:
- Intervention participants experienced reduced political polarisation, with affective polarisation toward political opponents decreasing by 4.37%.
- Those who participated in the storytelling intervention gained empathy not only towards their classmates (+13.30%), but also towards people in their communities who are different from themselves (+10.62%).
- Respect for others in class (+5.40%) and people students disagree with (+7.24%) also increased.
Perspective-taking towards classmates increased by 6.35%, while perspective-taking towards people different from themselves increased by 6.78%. The research also showed gains in active listening and curiosity in the classroom, as well as willingness to become involved in civic engagement and engage with diverse perspectives (+8.99%).
Dr Kurt Gray, The Ohio State University, added: “We find storytelling-based interventions highly successful in promoting empathy, curiosity, and perspective taking. This programme also promotes pro-sociality by increasing civic engagement, respect for others and even reducing affective polarisation.”
After more than a decade of work in schools in the United States, the organisation has launched a pilot programme in primary and secondary schools across the UK, where teachers are trained in practical storytelling tools to foster a culture of connection.
“Across the globe, young people are facing a crisis of connection,” said Lee Keylock, British-born, US-based Vice President of Global Impact at Narrative 4. “We don’t have to agree with one another, but we absolutely must try to understand one another. In the end, the shortest distance between us is a story.”