Narrative Theory and the Cognitive Sciences

Research on human intelligence has postulated that studying the structure and use of stories can provide important insights into the roots of self and the nature of thinking. In that spirit, this volume focuses on narrative as a crossroads where cognitive and social psychology, linguistics, literary theory, and the recent hybrid called "cognitive narratology" intersect, suggesting new directions for the cognitive sciences. The ideas contained here demonstrate the importance of narrative as a cognitive style, a genre of discourse, and a resource for literary writing and other forms of communication.

David Herman is a professor in the Department of English at North Carolina State University.