Narrative Thinking Research Articles

Response to Vitz: The Search for Method

The author reacts to Vitz's (1992a, 1992b) two preceding articles. Three major critiques are offered. First, it is suggested that, contrary to Vitz's assumption, not all people live by narrative or story; many are story-less and need help from therapists to construct their stories. Second, although Vitz (1992a) dichotomizes narrative thinking and scientific thinking, it is suggested that such a dichotomy is unrealistic: Both types of thinking are needed in psychotherapy. Third, Vitz seems to be unclear about how faith and Christian processes can be communicated in counseling.

Review

Book Reviewed in this article:The Depictive Image: Metaphor and Literary Experience. Phillip Stambovsky.The Niger‐Congo Languages: A Classification and Description of Africa's Largest Language Family. John Bendor‐Samuel (Ed.).Narrative Thought and Narrative Language. Bruce K. Britton and A. D. Pellegrini (Eds.)The International Teaching Assistant: An Annotated Critical Bibliography. Sarah Briggs, Sunny Hyon, Patricia Aldridge, and John Swales.

The Narrative Nature of Clinical Reasoning

Narrative reasoning is a central mode of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy. Therapists reason narratively when they are concerned with disability as an illness experience, that is, with how a physiological condition is affecting a person's life. In this paper, narrative reasoning is contrasted with propositional reasoning, and two kinds of narrative thinking are examined. The first is the use of narrative as a mode of speech that can be contrasted with biomedical discourse, in which disability is framed as physical pathology. The second involves the creation rather than the telling of stories. Therapists try to "emplot" therapeutic encounters with patients, that is, to help create a therapeutic story that becomes a meaningful short story in the larger life story of the patient.

The use of stories in moral development: New psychological reasons for an old education method.

Contemporary approaches to moral development and moral education emphasize propositional thinking and verbal discussion of abstract moral dilemmas. In contrast, this article proposes that narratives (stories) are a central factor in a person's moral development. Support for this position comes from recent theoretical contributions of Bruner, Sarbin, Spence, Tulving, and others, who have emphasized narrative thought as a major form of cognition that is qualitatively different from abstract propositional or scientific thinking. In addition, over the last 10 to 20 years psychologists investigating and conceptualizing moral development have come to emphasize such processes as empathy (Hoffman), caring and commitment (Gilligan), interpersonal interaction (Haan), personal character and personality (Coles; Hogan; Staub; Rushton). It is proposed that narratives and narrative thinking are especially involved in how these processes lead to moral development and therefore that narrative should be rehabilitated as a valuable part of moral education.

Book Reviews: James G. Williams, Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel. Bible and Literature Series; Sheffield: The Almond Press, 1982. Pp. 150. Cloth, $21.95; paper, $10.95

Book Reviews: James G. Williams, Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel. Bible and Literature Series; Sheffield: The Almond Press, 1982. Pp. 150. Cloth, $21.95; paper, $10.95

Children’s Narrative Thought, at Home and at School

Children’s Narrative Thought, at Home and at School

Women Recounted, Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

Women Recounted, Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

Review: Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

Review: Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel

ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

Journal Article ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Get access Women Recounted: Narrative Thinking and the God of Israel. By James G. Williams. The Almond Press, 1982. 150 pages. $10.95. Ellen M. Umansky Ellen M. Umansky Emory University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume 52, Issue 3, September 1984, Pages 591-b–592, https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/52.3.591-b Published: 01 September 1984

Teaching Undergraduate Researchers to Theorize and Practice Narrative Inquiry

Narrative inquiry has become a growing part of scholarly work across disciplines and a common part of student writing. I begin this article by proposing that undergraduate students can benefit from a course that teaches them about narrative, a mode of knowing many theorists claim is unique to humans and basic to our understanding. Students who understand the intersections of epistemology and narrative are more likely to avoid the intellectual pratfalls of writing narratives that are static, simple or entirely self-focused. The remainder of the article proposes texts and themes to constitute a course focused on narrative thinking and writing. I suggest that the major topics to take up are the role of narrative in human history, in contemporary scholarship, and in feminist and postmodern theory. Issues of interest include the function of narrative as evidence, the role of the personal and of experience in knowledge building according to feminist and postmodern theorizing, the ethical responsibility of narrative writers and the interactive engagement of readers. Students who make connections amongst examples, theory and personal experience not only gain a better understanding of narrative scholarship but are also more likely to enact its authentic practice.Key words: narrative inquiry, narrative argument, feminist narrative, epistemology, ethics