The Role of Self in the Social Psychology of Narrative Processing

The mental processes of self-concept formation and use have been examined in detail in child and adult development and in social interactions, but the role of self in interacting with stories has not been examined as carefully. Drawing on mental mechanisms that balance a stable self-concept with the need to change, we propose a model to explain when and how a person’s self-concept shapes our interpretation of stories, and reinforces, changes, or adds to our self-knowledge. Goal-driven and situational cues activated by a story can influence a working self, drawing on self-knowledge appropriate to understanding a story event. The model presented here can inform our understanding of how the self-concept influences and is influenced by narratives and can guide practitioners in designing impactful narrative messages.