Stories Synchronize our Brains

Groundbreaking work by Dr. Uri Hasson has shown that the brain of an individual listening to a story actually synchronizes with the brain of the individual telling the story—an event known as neural coupling. Working with functional MRI, which can measure brain activity in real time, Dr. Hasson demonstrated the power of stories. “By simply telling a story, the woman could plant ideas, thoughts, and emotions into the listeners’ brains,” Hasson says.

“A story is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience.” This has tremendous implications for the power of story. People adopt your experience as their own in the moment. This allows us to cultivate empathy in powerful ways. For example, when we hear the story of someone who was beaten as a child, we put ourselves in their place, feel their fear, and gain insight into the scary reality of their experience. Story expands our knowledge and our emotional connection to a topic.