TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring the Neural Processes behind Narrative Engagement
T2 - An EEG Study
AU - Dini, Hossein
AU - Simonetti, Aline
AU - Bruni, Luis Emilio
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Dini et al.
PY - 2023/7
Y1 - 2023/7
N2 - Past cognitive neuroscience studies using naturalistic stimuli have considered narratives holistically and focused on cognitive processes. In this study, we incorporated the narrative structure, the dramatic arc, as an object of investiga-tion, to examine how engagement levels fluctuate across a narrative-aligned dramatic arc. We explored the possibility of predicting self-reported engagement ratings from neural activity and investigated the idiosyncratic effects of each phase of the dramatic arc on brain responses as well as the relationship between engagement and brain responses. We presented a movie excerpt following the six-phase narrative arc structure to female and male participants while collecting EEG signals. We then asked this group of participants to recall the excerpt, another group to segment the video based on the dramatic arc model, and a third to rate their engagement levels while watching the movie. The results showed that the self-reported engagement ratings followed the pattern of the narrative dramatic arc. Moreover, while EEG amplitude could not predict group-averaged engagement ratings, other features comprising dynamic intersubject correlation (dISC), including certain frequency bands, dynamic functional connectivity patterns and graph features were able to achieve this. Furthermore, neural activity in the last two phases of the dramatic arc significantly predicted engagement patterns. This study is the first to explore the cognitive processes behind the dramatic arc and its phases. By demonstrating how neural activity predicts self-reported engagement, which itself aligns with the narrative structure, this study provides insights on the interrelationships between narrative structure, neural responses, and viewer engagement.
AB - Past cognitive neuroscience studies using naturalistic stimuli have considered narratives holistically and focused on cognitive processes. In this study, we incorporated the narrative structure, the dramatic arc, as an object of investiga-tion, to examine how engagement levels fluctuate across a narrative-aligned dramatic arc. We explored the possibility of predicting self-reported engagement ratings from neural activity and investigated the idiosyncratic effects of each phase of the dramatic arc on brain responses as well as the relationship between engagement and brain responses. We presented a movie excerpt following the six-phase narrative arc structure to female and male participants while collecting EEG signals. We then asked this group of participants to recall the excerpt, another group to segment the video based on the dramatic arc model, and a third to rate their engagement levels while watching the movie. The results showed that the self-reported engagement ratings followed the pattern of the narrative dramatic arc. Moreover, while EEG amplitude could not predict group-averaged engagement ratings, other features comprising dynamic intersubject correlation (dISC), including certain frequency bands, dynamic functional connectivity patterns and graph features were able to achieve this. Furthermore, neural activity in the last two phases of the dramatic arc significantly predicted engagement patterns. This study is the first to explore the cognitive processes behind the dramatic arc and its phases. By demonstrating how neural activity predicts self-reported engagement, which itself aligns with the narrative structure, this study provides insights on the interrelationships between narrative structure, neural responses, and viewer engagement.
KW - dramatic arc
KW - dynamic functional connectivity
KW - EEG
KW - engagement
KW - intersubject correlation
KW - narrative cognition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164914701&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1523/ENEURO.0484-22.2023
DO - 10.1523/ENEURO.0484-22.2023
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37460223
AN - SCOPUS:85164914701
SN - 2373-2822
VL - 10
JO - eNeuro
JF - eNeuro
IS - 7
M1 - ENEURO.0484-22.2023
ER -