CSH Talk by Ryan Boyd: “The Arc of Narrative: The Objective Quantification of Story Structure”

The lecture by Ryan Boyd from the University of Texas at Austin will take place at the Complexity Science Hub Vienna in Room 201.

If you are interested in participating, please email to office@csh.ac.at

Abstract:

Scholars have long debated the existence and properties of a “common structure” that underlies narratives. Using modern, computer-based language analysis methods, we measured several structural and psychological categories of language across multiple corpora of novels, short stories, films, and written projective stories. Across all forms of stories, analyses revealed a small but consistent underlying structure to narratives that is driven by 3 primary processes: Staging, Plot Progression, and Cognitive Tension. This research provides empirical insights into the structure of narrative, providing hints as to what it may tell us about the evolution of story-making.