Why Do We Love Stories? A Journey Through The Human Connection to Narratives

My wife and I are still grieving our superhero figure collection we left back in Turkey when we had to move to London. Even though they are not functional, they have a special place in our hearts and minds because they represent our favourite characters in that we have high emotional investments.

Whenever we visit Covent Garden, we walk through Seven Dials to Shaftsbury Avenue to see if there’s a queue in front of Forbidden Planet’s London Megastore. If there isn’t a waiting line—the British love their queues, we, not as much—we go inside just to look at the figures, accessories, and other decorations and trinkets of our favourite heroes. Also, as we wander along the aisles, we remember our precious collection and sigh.

The stories associated with these useless objects—some may even call them junk—connect us with them and cause the emotional flood from euphoria to nostalgia. But why do we love stories that much, and how does it affect our actions?

The Science Behind Our Love for Stories

Our love for stories has a scientific explanation: When we encounter a story that resonates with us, our levels of oxytocin, a.k.a. “love hormone,” increase. Triggering the “it’s safe to approach others” signal in the brain, oxytocin is produced when we are trusted or shown kindness. It enhances our empathy, allowing us to experience others’ emotions and understand how they will likely react to a situation. This is important for social creatures like us, as it motivates cooperation and helps us work better with others.

Researchers found that character-driven stories consistently cause oxytocin synthesis in the brain. The research observes that by looking at the amount of the hormone, one can predict how much people are willing to help others, such as donating to a charity associated with the narrative. When information is delivered as a story, other areas of the brain, such as the sensory and motor cortex, parts of the brain typically triggered when we experience events first-hand, become activated.

The Power of Stories in Our Lives

Stories have been integral to our culture and communication, from the earliest cave paintings to modern-day movies and novels. They serve as a tool to pass on traditions, religious beliefs, and lessons from our unique cultural history, tracing back further than we could ever imagine. As social creatures, we depend on others for our survival and happiness, and stories play a crucial role in fostering empathy and cooperation.

One of the contemporary examples of storytelling’s effects is the Netflix show “The Toys That Made Us.” In the documentary series’ first episode about Star Wars, Dr John Tenuto, a sociology professor and a collector, says, for collectors, toys are embodiments of stories that help transcend their experience from ephemeral to physical. He explains that toys are like physical symbols collectors hold dearly, like a country flag for patriotic people.

Roaming between Forbidden Planet’s floors with Humeyra is some sort of a pilgrimage, like visiting a pantheon for modern myths, and our experience is probably nothing short of religious pilgrims’ experiences who visit holy temples or lands of their belief systems. Even though we don’t buy anything, we feel a sense of satisfaction and unity. Satisfaction of being in a place with representations of our favourite heroes from our favourite tales. Unity of sharing that space with other people with similar interests. Both feelings are the results of stories.

The Impact of Stories on Marketing Products and Services

We are usually less critical of things we love or feel strong emotional connections. In a world where consumers are overwhelmed with businesses trying to sell them something at every turn, stories provide a way to cut through the noise, connect with us, and communicate a message we’re more likely to hear. Creating a relatable narrative can effectively convey your message.

Sure, keywords and SEO are significantly crucial in reaching out to your customers; however, if you tell a good story, your chances of creating a loyal fanbase increase immensely. You may think that Marvel or Lucasfilm are extreme examples, but other businesses, like the jewellery brand PANDORA, successfully created loyal customers with the power of storytelling.

Storytelling lets consumers invest in your products or services long-term. As we leave Forbidden Planet empty-handed, my wife and I utter softly, “Next time, when our budget allows, we’re going to buy that Batman statue.” We haven’t bought it yet, but we’ll get it one day, even if it’s next year. That’s how much we invested in that story.