From Scientific American...
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secrets-of-storytelling
The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn
Our love for telling tales reveals the workings of the mind
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Key Concepts
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* Storytelling is a human universal, and
common themes appear in tales throughout history
and all over the the world.
* These characteristics of stories, and our
natural affinity toward them, reveal clues about
our evolutionary history and the roots of
emotion and empathy in the mind.
* By studying narrative's power to influence
beliefs, researchers are discovering how we
analyze information and accept new ideas.
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