Narrative Story Research Articles

‘A fine spirit of comradeship’: class, sisterhood, hope, and solidarity in the Woman Worker, 1907–1910

ABSTRACT In the first decade of the twentieth century, very few of London’s women workers were organized in trade unions. In contemporary discourse, female labourers appear alternately as bad workers, ‘natural blacklegs,’ ‘masculine,’ and immodest. Women union leaders sought to resolve these discursive tensions between work and femininity by framing collective action as a collaborative project defined by sisterhood. This article interrogates their efforts by examining the discourse of sisterhood in the trade journal, the Woman Worker. It demonstrates that outsid observers defined working-class women’s lives in terms of misery and poverty as well as female camaraderie and solidarity. Industrial women workers, on the other hand, imagined more expansive worlds for themselves and their families. Their published stories and their actions depict a range of affective experiences, from joy and desire to frustration, disappointment, and ambivalence. By highlighting the female labourer, this article recentres emotions, workers’ subjectivity, and women’s individual stories in historical narratives about gender, work, and Britain’s early labour movement.

Building Narratives Through Empathy: The Role of Empathy Mechanisms and Associative Thinking in Creative Writing

ABSTRACTEmpathy emerges as a pivotal skill in creative writing, yet previous studies lack an understanding of empathy's multidimensionality and specific impact of its facets on the capacity to generate narrative stories. This cross‐sectional study delved into the various cognitive and affective empathy facets—that is, perspective‐taking, online simulation, emotion contagion, proximal responsivity, and peripheral responsivity—and their contributions to creative writing. Further, it examined the mediating effects of associative thinking—conceptualized as a common empathy‐creativity resource—on the relationship between empathy facets and creative writing. Two‐hundred twenty participants (university students) completed performance‐based tasks and self‐report measures of creative writing, associative thinking, and empathy. A latent mediation model implemented in Structural Equation Modeling indicated two effects of empathy facets on creative writing, with perspective‐taking emerging as a positive predictor. Additionally, peripheral responsivity (i.e., affect sharing in indirect contexts) exhibited an indirect positive influence on creative writing, mediated by associative thinking. In summary, associative thinking appears to be an important ingredient in both empathy and creative writing, while cognitive empathy, specifically intuitive perspective‐taking, contributes significantly to creative writing skills. Future studies should further explore these connections and their causalities, possibly using experimental or longitudinal approaches.

The Impact of Social Game Gameplay Design on Players’ Emotional Connection: A Case Study of “Sky: Children of the Light”

With the rapid development of technology, the world is becoming increasingly digital. As new social media asks players to interact to do the quests, social games offer people more possibilities to have an emotional connection with other players in the virtual world. “Sky: Children of the Light” is a popular social game growing up during the pandemic era, with the core of “love and giving”, it provides players positive emotional lead in the game world and encourages players to spread hope and love to other people. The article focuses on the gameplay design of “Sky: Children of the Light”, the study of the impact of gameplay design on players ‘emotional connection by using the way of participatory observation and in-depth interviews, to provide some practical reference for healthy social game gameplay designing. The study found that by designing the interaction method and adding emotional purpose to the story narrative, the players’ satisfaction and empathy about the world will increase, and care more about the environment and people around them.

Video game structural layers for narrative design and articulation

ABSTRACT Video Games are composites of interlocking structures that collectively create meaning for the player to investigate and act upon. The most apparent form of meaning for the player is the narrative story or context. However, the narrative in a video game is structured and contextualized itself by the inherent form of the video game. This range of meaning making tools in the medium is both daunting and exciting. To understand the application of narrative better, designers, critics and academics need to be able to distinguish and understand the high-level structural layers that affect and support it. This paper offers a focused review of the relevant literature, explanations of key terms and diagrams and an illustration demonstrating the relationships of these structural layers.

Image of the Other by Al-Muhassin Al-Tanukhi

The research investigates studying the image of the other in the books of Al-Muhassin Al-Tanukhi. The research focused on defining the other and the beginnings of the formation of his image in Arab-Islamic culture, in the Qur'anic text, and in the writings of travelers and geographers. It then explains the image of the other in Al-Muhassin Al-Tanukhi's writings. The research concluded that his image of the other is not stereotypical according to a preconceived view because he acts and recognizes the difference between the other. The images presented in the study varied across three main perspectives. First, there was a portrayal of admiration for the other, which did not culminate in a sense of amazement due to perceived cultural superiority. Second, a positive image of the other was offered. Lastly, disapproval was expressed stemming from a lack of comprehension. Furthermore, the research examined the methodology of narrative presentation, categorizing it into two distinct structures. The first structure is characterized by its simplicity, relying solely on a linear narration of events or stories. In contrast, the second structure is more complex, involving what is referred to as the phenomenon of narrative generation. This approach incorporates intricate elements such as characters and situations. The research investigates studying the image of the other in the books of Al-Muhassin Al-Tanukhi. The research focused on defining the other and the beginnings of the formation of his image in Arab-Islamic culture, in the Qur'anic text, and in the writings of travelers and geographers. It then explains the image of the other in Al-Muhassin Al-Tanukhi's writings. The research concluded that his image of the other is not stereotypical according to a preconceived view because he acts and recognizes the difference between the other. The images presented in the study varied across three main perspectives. First, there was a portrayal of admiration for the other, which did not culminate in a sense of amazement due to perceived cultural superiority. Second, a positive image of the other was offered. Lastly, disapproval was expressed stemming from a lack of comprehension. Furthermore, the research examined the methodology of narrative presentation, categorizing it into two distinct structures. The first structure is characterized by its simplicity, relying solely on a linear narration of events or stories. In contrast, the second structure is more complex, involving what is referred to as the phenomenon of narrative generation. This approach incorporates intricate elements such as characters and situations.

Words of wisdom from mother runners: Using creative non-fiction advice letters to show psycho-social tensions and strategies influencing performance

Although motherhood is a well-documented time when recreational sport pursuits decline, researchers have shown that some women participate in sport after becoming mothers. Recreational running is one sport where mothers (re)negotiate their subjectivity in ways that resist constraining good mother ideals by expanding strategies to enhance well-being. There remain nuanced tensions in this process that are less understood, particularly in terms of how mother runners negotiate training and competing. In this study, we used relativist narrative inquiry to explore these tensions and performance strategies of five North American competitive mother runners with young children, theorized as stories in cultural narratives. We used thematic narrative analysis to identify a theme of patience with the process: it's a long and winding road. We then shifted to storytellers to present the meanings of this theme as three accessible creative non-fiction (CNF) letters of advice to other potential mother runners. Advice letters outlined strategies pertaining to the physical self, a flexible mindset and social support. We reflect on the central theme in relation to narratives of good motherhood, sport performance, and discovery, and the implications for psycho-social tensions and performance strategies. CNF advice letters show the pedagogical potential of different kinds of stories to learn more about the constraining and empowering aspects of sport in mothers’ lives, in cultural context.

As die Cape Flats Kon Praat: Locality and the Literature of Precarious Living

This paper discusses the importance of Brian Fredericks’s short story collection, As die Cape Flats Kon Praat (If the Cape Flats Could Speak), published in 2020. The nine stories in the collection present different narratives of male characters and their experiences on the living areas outside Cape Town collectively known as the Cape Flats. These areas are synonymous with poverty and violence, identifiers that simultaneously suggest urgent attention but also reductive stereotyping. Two of the stories in the collection are examined here for information they provide about the intersections between gang culture and family relations, as well as how both are shaped by senses of place. How geographical space (here, space that was engineered during apartheid) influences and is influenced by the movements and actions of people is a point of theoretical interest in this article. This is supported by a short study of the workings of Cape Flats gangs and the transactional role played by violence. Fredericks’s collection joins a growing and necessary library of redress that reflects the value of Cape Flats narratives as essential to South African literature. That this collection includes the language of Afrikaaps, which is undergoing a similar re-evaluation in recent knowledge production, underscores the relevance of newer output that sheds light on the social codes, cultural grammars, and moral economies of a hitherto underrepresented literary region.

Research on the English Translation of Culture-Bound Terms in Yi Dialect Oral Literature from the Perspective of Four-life Maxim

The accurate translation of culture-bound terms is vital for ensuring the faithful representation of ethnic minority oral literature. Analyzing the English translation of these terms can significantly promote minority cultures, offer a comprehensive view of China to the world, and enhance the narrative of Chinese stories. China’s Eco-Translatology, rooted in Eastern ecological wisdom, provides a framework for translation in the new era, emphasizing Four-life Maxim. Guided by this theory, this paper examines the English translation of culture-bound terms in the Yi oral literature Meige, providing a reference for translating China’s minority literature.

Comparison of micro- and macro- structural narrative features between Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals and Turkish monolinguals

Abstract Bilingualism may lead to differences in narrative micro- and macrostructural features. Creating a normative data set on the narrative characteristics of healthy Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals may allow for a more effective assessment of language disorders that may occur in bilinguals with acquired brain injury. This study aims to determine how narrative micro- and macrostructural features differ in Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals in single picture and story narratives. A total of 23 bilingual (Turkish-Kurdish) and 23 monolingual (Turkish) healthy individuals were included in the study. Narrative samples were obtained using single pictures and a story. Micro- and macrostructural features were compared between bilinguals and monolinguals matched for age, education, and gender. Mean length utterance-morpheme and clausal density variables, considered as indicators of grammatical complexity, were higher in monolinguals in both single picture and story narratives. Morphemic errors were higher for bilinguals. Effort behaviors, which can interrupt verbal efficiency, were higher in bilinguals in single picture narratives. While there was no difference between the groups in verbal fluency (phonemic and categorical), the lexical diversty in storytelling was higher in monolinguals. In terms of macrostructural features, cognitive inferences in the story context and emotional discourse in the single picture context were higher in monolinguals, while enrichment expressions in the single picture narrative were higher in bilinguals. In both groups, macrostructural features such as cognitive inferences and expressions of uncertainty in discourse were negatively correlated with grammatical complexity variables. Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals’ single picture and story narratives in Turkish may show semantic, morphosyntactic and pragmatic differences compared to Turkish-speaking monolinguals.

Understanding needs of Chinese American family caregivers through a life story qualitative project

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore the needs of Chinese American family caregivers of older adults through a life story qualitative study. Through life story narratives, a phenomenological approach revealed that the needs of Chinese American family caregivers, including effect of stress, varied by the following: type of relationship with care receivers, perceived cultural values, relationship quality between caregiver and care receivers, cognitive distortions and conflict strategies in caregiving. Discussion on methods of assisting Chinese American family caregivers through the therapeutic interventions of the life story narrative itself, self-care training, and other key supports revealed in the study will be addressed.

Are narrative story stem methods valid in “non-Western” contexts? A systematic review

Narrative story stem techniques (NSSTs) offer insight into attachment and other representational aspects of preschool to young school aged children’s inner lives. While the method moved into the academic and clinical mainstream some 35 years ago, their applicability to “non-Western” contexts remains little understood. This synthesis comprises 31 NSST studies of samples from parts of Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, and from US and UK ethnocultural minoritized backgrounds. In the reviewed studies, three specific NSSTs dominated, story stems were used most to evaluate attachment, and some were clinically focused. However, there was also a strong cultural focus and over half of samples were socioeconomically disadvantaged. Studies revealed both universal and culturally specific features of NSSTs. Attachment distributions were as expected, given the high clinical risk in pooled samples (49% secure, 19% avoidant, 12% ambivalent, 20% disorganized), including by clinical and socioeconomic risk status. Gender differences were similar to “Western” findings. However, the growing evidence for convergent validity across cultural groups is tempered by low reporting of psychometrics. Narratives may sometimes reflect children’s unintended interpretations of the task and therefore not activate internal representations, or may reflect reality but lack equivalent meaning in coding schemes. We discuss how researchers and clinicians can enhance the validity of NSSTs by considering the role of culture in the sense-making process. Pending further validation work, NSSTs have the added potential to give a voice to young children from underrepresented backgrounds.

Narrative reversals and story success.

Storytelling is a powerful tool that connects us and shapes our understanding of the world. Theories of effective storytelling boast an intellectual history dating back millennia, highlighting the significance of narratives across civilizations. Yet, despite all this theorizing, empirically predicting what makes a story successful has remained elusive. We propose narrative reversals, key turning points in a story, as pivotal facets that predict story success. Drawing on narrative theory, we conceptualize reversals as plot: essential moments that push narratives forward and shape audience reception. Across 30,000 movies, TV shows, novels, and fundraising pitches, we use computational linguistics and trend detection analysis to develop a quantitative method for measuring narrative reversals via shifts in valence. We find that stories with more' and more dramatic, turning points are more successful. Our findings shed light on this age-old art form and provide a practical approach to understanding and predicting the impact of storytelling.

Perspectives of parents with lived experience of cytomegalovirus infection, on universal newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in Canada: a patient-led qualitative study

ObjectiveTo understand parental perspectives regarding universal newborn screening (UNS) for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in Canada.DesignA qualitative, patient-led study using the Patient and Community Engagement Research approach consisting of online focus...

Reducing Racial Disparities at End-of-life: Using Narratives to Build Trust and Promote advance Care Planning.

Black Americans are less likely than White Americans to have advance directives, die while receiving hospice services, or have their end-of life wishes honored. The root causes of disparities include imbalance of resources, lack of trust in health care institutions, lack of adequate education regarding end-of-life options, communication differences of health care providers with black vs white patients, variable access to hospice services in different communities, and poorer pain management for Black patients compared to White patients. Because root causes are numerous, comprehensive solutions are required. When advance care planning is in place, people are more likely to choose care focused on priorities and comfort than on seeking aggressive, sometimes futile, interventions in the last weeks of life. One important component of the solution should include listening to narrative stories of Black people as they encounter life-limiting diagnoses. Gathering the stories about life events and how strength was found through adversities can be a tool for growing trusting relationships and engaging in shared decision-making. Health care professionals should invite Black patients with serious illnesses to explore the sources of their strengths and identify their core values to work toward developing directives for the nature and place of their end-of-life and help to mitigate disparities in high quality end-of-life care.

Early Achiever or Late Bloomer? Investigating Life Story Narratives of Star Scientists

Early Achiever or Late Bloomer? Investigating Life Story Narratives of Star Scientists

ANALISIS KESULITAN BELAJAR MENULIS CERITA NARASI BAHASA JAWA PESERTA DIDIK KELAS V DI SDN SUKOHARJO 01 PATI

Research regarding the difficulties of learning to write Javanese narrative stories needs to be carried out because participants may have difficulty learning to write Javanese narrative stories. This research aims to determine (1) the ability of fifth grade students in writing narrative stories in Javanese; (2) form of difficulty learning to write Javanese narrative stories; (3) factors causing difficulties in learning to write Javanese stories. The research method used is a qualitative method. The research results include: (1) students' ability to write Javanese narrative stories is still low; (2) the forms of difficulty experienced by students occur in arranging words according to base language, pronunciation of phonemes and writing words in Javanese, as well as determining punctuation marks and capital letters; (3) The factors causing difficulty in writing narrative stories in Javanese are a lack of interest in learning Javanese and unfamiliarity with using Javanese in everyday life.

Embera Children's Stories: A Strategy for the Preservation of Language and Cultural Identity in Indigenous Education

This study conducted in the Embera Chamí Navera Drua community, located in Darien, Colombia, investigates the impact of children's literature, particularly stories, on strengthening cultural identity and preserving the native language among the community's children. Utilizing a qualitative approach, an ethnographic and participatory action research design was implemented to deeply explore the community's worldview, its educational context, and the sense of cultural belonging developed by the children. The results highlight the importance of intercultural teacher training and the implementation of pedagogical strategies that promote the indigenous worldview through the narrative of stories, which capture the interest and imagination of children. It is concluded that children's stories facilitate the development of a sense of cultural belonging in children, youth, and adults while engaging with their native language. Therefore, it is necessary to train teachers within the community who can link storytelling as a strategy to facilitate the preservation of their language from childhood, allow community participation in preserving their worldview, and contribute to the development of the community's own cultural education.

Teacher inquiry and learning stories: a site for pedagogical change

ABSTRACT This article draws on the research findings of a case study at Greerton Early Learning Centre in Aotearoa, New Zealand, utilising data from the teachers’ research inquiries into their professional practice. Teachers’ inquiries included Learning Stories – a research-based sociocultural narrative assessment approach – written for children and families. Teachers, as part of usual practice, to deepen collegial understanding of their local curriculum (the learning and teaching culture), shared Learning Stories. The research findings indicated that the dialogical process involved in sharing Learning Stories strengthened teachers’ pedagogical practice. Constructing case study data using teacher inquiries was useful because it allowed for a zooming-in approach to understanding children’s learning identities by way of the Learning Story narrative assessments [Carr 2001. Assessment in Early Childhood Settings: Learning Stories. Sage] that captured learners’ lived experiences over time, across cultures, and community spaces. A zooming-out focus then enabled wider comments about the effectiveness of strengthening children’s learning identities and stretching teachers’ pedagogical practice through analysing Learning Stories that tracked the continuity and progress of both learning and teaching. All participants provided informed consent, including choosing to forgo anonymity.

When prospective information conflicts with current information

ABSTRACT We examined the impact of prospective information on the processing of information occurring within the present timeline of narrative stories. Participants read target sentences that were consistent with events occurring within a protagonist’s present timeline but inconsistent with events in the protagonist’s future. When prospective information was readily available and/or received strong contextual support, processing difficulties were immediate, (i.e. they occurred on the target sentence). When the prospective information was backgrounded and/or not supported with additional contextual information, processing disruptions were delayed until the spillover sentence. Results are discussed within memory-based theories, specifically the RI-Val model.

Guiding the Future: Narrative Stories of Beginner Teachers in the Coaching and Feedbacking as an Aspect of Instructional Supervision

Over the years continuous progress were made to the multi-faceted spectrum of instructional leadership. Each of its layer plays a magnanimous role contributory to supportive learning environment for students, teachers and leaders aimed at fostering significant success stories for each. The purpose of this study is to narrate the stories of beginner teachers as they start their journey in the world of teaching particularly as they undergo one aspect of instructional supervision which is, coaching and feedbacking. The researchers made use of Colaizzi’s Method of Descriptive Analysis after employing the purposive sampling technique to interpret the responses gathered from the five participants who possess the following qualifications: 1) must be a Junior High School teacher of the Department of Education; 2) must be in the public service for 0 to 3 years just yet and 3) must be willing to participate in the whole period of exploration. Two themes emerged rom the main problem which is described as 1) Perceptions and Impressions on Coaching and Feedbacking as an Aspect of Instructional Supervision with a category specified as “The Roller Coaster of Emotions” where sentiments such as “nervous but challenged”, “happy and thankful”, “pure and total adjustments” were shared. All of this according from the participants are the things they felt when undergoing instructional supervision. The second theme that emerged was 2) Challenges and Adversities Encountered where in two categories came up. The responses include “Equipping One’s Self with the Necessary”, “Being prepared at All Times”, “Seeing Help from Colleagues” all under “The Beginner Teacher Coping Mechanisms.” Meanwhile, “Leading by Example”, “Time Allotment is Important” and “Constructive Feedbacking” materialized under the “Instructional Leaders Approach.” This qualitative study contributes to the field by providing colorul narrative stories from beginner teachers of Narvacan National Central High School and Sulvec Integrated School loated at Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines that an inspire and motivate others towards a positive outlook in the world of teaching.