Transporting into narrative worlds: New directions for the scientific study of literature

“Transportation into a narrative world” refers to cognitive, emotional, and imagery engagement in a story (Green & Brock, 2000). Transportation has been studied as a mechanism of narrative persuasion; individuals who are transported into stories are more likely to change their attitudes and beliefs in the direction suggested by the story. The current paper highlights the challenges and benefits from the scientific study of literature, and outlines promising avenues for future research. These directions include a greater understanding of ways to evoke transportation, and a fuller exploration of the outcomes of transportation, including impact on implicit attitudes, the persistence of narrative persuasion, and the effects of multiple narratives. We also highlight the role of individual differences, particularly motivation for mindreading (Carpenter & Green, in press), the extent to which individuals are willing to exert effort to understand others’ perspectives.