Researchers from the University of Oxford and The Ohio State University have reported that storytelling interventions can reduce affective polarisation and strengthen interpersonal understanding among school pupils.
The study provides measurable evidence that exchanging personal experiences encourages empathy, supports active citizenship and improves social connection.
The controlled, long-term research assessed a storytelling initiative delivered across five school districts in Kentucky, working alongside Narrative 4, a global non-profit focused on using narrative exchange to drive social impact.
Outcomes for students who took part were compared with those in a non-participating control group. “This study highlights how personal storytelling can bridge divides and foster meaningful human connection,” said Lee Keylock, Vice President of Global Impact at Narrative 4.
The study, Promoting Empathy, Connection, and Pro-Sociality in American High Schools: A Collaboration Between Academics and Practitioners, followed 380 pupils in the 10th and 11th grades, aged between 15 and 17, during the 2024–2025 school year and included participants from across the political spectrum.
- Intervention participants experienced reduced political polarisation, with affective polarisation toward political opponents decreasing by 4.37%.
- Those who participated in the storytelling intervention gained empathy not only towards their classmates (+13.30%), but also towards people in their communities who are different from themselves (+10.62%).
- Respect for others in class (+5.40%) and people students disagree with (+7.24%) also increased.
Perspective-taking towards classmates increased by 6.35%, while perspective-taking towards people different from themselves increased by 6.78%. The research also showed gains in active listening and curiosity in the classroom, as well as willingness to become involved in civic engagement and engage with diverse perspectives (+8.99%).
