| The way people talk about their pasts reveals a | | | | (the graduation speech, complete with verbal |
| lot about how they approach and write the future | | | | drum roll); low points (the college nervous |
| For more than a century, researchers have been | | | | breakdown); and turning points. The entire |
| trying to work out the raw ingredients that | | | | two-hour session is recorded and transcribed. |
| account for personality, the sweetness and | | | | In analysing the texts, the researchers found |
| neuroses that make the sluggishness and | | | | strong correlations between the content of |
| sensitivity that make Andrew Andrew. They have | | | | people's current lives and the stories they tell. |
| largely ignored the first-person explanation -- the | | | | Those with mood problems have many good |
| life story that people themselves tell about who | | | | memories, but these scenes are usually tainted by |
| they are, and why. | | | | some dark detail. The pride of college graduation |
| Stories are stories, after all. The attractive | | | | is spoiled when a friend makes a cutting remark. |
| stranger at the airport bar hears one version, the | | | | The wedding party was wonderful until the best |
| parole officer another, and the PTA board gets | | | | man collapsed from drink. A note of |
| something entirely different. Moreover, the tone, | | | | disappointment seems to close each narrative |
| the lessons, even the facts in a life story can all | | | | phrase. |
| shift in the changing light of a person's mood. | | | | By contrast, so-called generative adults -- those |
| "When we first started studying life stories, | | | | who score highly on tests measuring |
| people thought it was just idle curiosity stories, | | | | civic-mindedness -- tend to see many of the |
| isn't that cool?" said Dan P McAdams, a professor | | | | events in their life in the reverse order, as linked |
| of psychology at Northwestern and author of the | | | | by themes of redemption. They flunked sixth |
| 2006 book, The Redemptive Self. "Well, we find | | | | grade but met a wonderful counsellor and made |
| that these narratives guide behaviour in every | | | | honour roll in seventh. They were laid low by |
| moment, and frame not only how we see the | | | | divorce, only to meet a wonderful new partner. |
| past but how we see ourselves in the future." | | | | Often, too, they say they felt singled out from |
| Researchers have found that the human brain has | | | | very early in life -- protected, even as others |
| a natural affinity for narrative construction. People | | | | nearby suffered. |
| tend to remember facts more accurately if they | | | | In broad outline, the researchers report, such |
| encounter them in a story rather than in a list, | | | | tales express distinctly American cultural |
| studies find; and they rate legal arguments as | | | | narratives, of emancipation or atonement, of |
| more convincing when built into narrative tales | | | | Horatio Alger advancement, of epiphany and |
| rather than on legal precedent. | | | | second chances. Depending on the person, the |
| During a standard life-story interview, people | | | | story itself might be nuanced or simplistic, |
| describe phases of their lives as if they were | | | | powerfully dramatic or cloyingly pious. But the |
| outlining chapters, from the sandlot years through | | | | point is that the narrative themes are, as much |
| adolescence and middle age. They also describe | | | | as any other trait, driving factors in people's |
| several crucial scenes in detail, including high points | | | | behaviour. |