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DOI: 10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2015.12

Optimal Eventfulness of Narratives

Authors: Fritz Breithaupt, Eleanor Brower, and Sarah Whaley

Published in: OASIcs, Volume 45, 6th Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative (CMN 2015)

Abstract

This study examines whether there is an optimal degree of eventfulness of short narratives. We ask whether there is a specific degree of eventfulness (unexpectedness) that makes them "stick" better than other stories so that they are maintained more faithfully in serial reproduction (telephone games). The result is: probably not. The finding is that there is an impressive correlation of eventfulness rankings of original stories and resulting retellings in serial reproduction, despite the change of many other story elements and almost regardless of low or high eventfulness. Put more simply, people remember and retell “eventfulness” accurately, even when the actual events and circumstances of a story are changed.

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Fritz Breithaupt, Eleanor Brower, and Sarah Whaley. Optimal Eventfulness of Narratives. In 6th Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative (CMN 2015). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 45, pp. 12-22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2015)

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@InProceedings{breithaupt_et_al:OASIcs.CMN.2015.12,
  author =	{Breithaupt, Fritz and Brower, Eleanor and Whaley, Sarah},
  title =	{{Optimal Eventfulness of Narratives}},
  booktitle =	{6th Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative (CMN 2015)},
  pages =	{12--22},
  series =	{Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-939897-93-4},
  ISSN =	{2190-6807},
  year =	{2015},
  volume =	{45},
  editor =	{Finlayson, Mark A. and Miller, Ben and Lieto, Antonio and Ronfard, Remi},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2015.12},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-52775},
  doi =		{10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2015.12},
  annote =	{Keywords: Narrative, Event, Eventfulness, Event cognition; Serial reproduction; Linear and bounded iteration, Event memory}
}

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DOI: 10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2013.36

The Disappearance of Moral Choice in Serially Reproduced Narratives

Authors: Fritz Breithaupt, Kevin M. Gardner, John K. Kruschke, Torrin M. Liddell, and Samuel Zorowitz

Published in: OASIcs, Volume 32, 2013 Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative

Abstract

How do narratives influence moral decision-making? Our ongoing studies use serial reproduction of narratives, that is multiple retellings as in the telephone game, of morally ambiguous situations. In particular, we tested stories that include a minor misdemeanor, but leave open whether the wrongdoer will be punished by a bystander. It turns out that serial reproduction (retelling) of stories tends to eliminate the possibility of intervention by the bystander under certain conditions. We reason that this effect can be explained either by preferences of the readers or by the reader's discomfort to get involved. A second finding is that retellings of third-person narratives of moral situations lead to a higher degree of change and invention of the outcome than first-person narratives.

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Fritz Breithaupt, Kevin M. Gardner, John K. Kruschke, Torrin M. Liddell, and Samuel Zorowitz. The Disappearance of Moral Choice in Serially Reproduced Narratives. In 2013 Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative. Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 32, pp. 36-42, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2013)

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@InProceedings{breithaupt_et_al:OASIcs.CMN.2013.36,
  author =	{Breithaupt, Fritz and Gardner, Kevin M. and Kruschke, John K. and Liddell, Torrin M. and Zorowitz, Samuel},
  title =	{{The Disappearance of Moral Choice in Serially Reproduced Narratives}},
  booktitle =	{2013 Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative},
  pages =	{36--42},
  series =	{Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-939897-57-6},
  ISSN =	{2190-6807},
  year =	{2013},
  volume =	{32},
  editor =	{Finlayson, Mark A. and Fisseni, Bernhard and L\"{o}we, Benedikt and Meister, Jan Christoph},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2013.36},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-41386},
  doi =		{10.4230/OASIcs.CMN.2013.36},
  annote =	{Keywords: Narrative, moral stories, side taking, serial reproduction, first-person versus third person narrative}
}

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Optimal Eventfulness of Narratives

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The Disappearance of Moral Choice in Serially Reproduced Narratives

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