Your Brain on Story

Alia and I have been doing these storytelling workshops all over the country for more than a year now. And we’re always scouring the Internet for great examples, sage advice, and other media to bolster our key point, which is this:

Fundraising is based primarily on emotion and there is no better key to emotion than a dramatic story.

Recently we encountered this video by neuroeconomist Paul Zak – and it blew our minds. Zak has been decoding what happens to you biologically when you are affected by a story. You MUST watch this video.

Bottom line, powerful stories cause you to secrete cortisol (the fight or flight hormone) which prompts attention. More importantly, your brain also secretes oxytocin, which directly correlates with feelings of empathy.

Just how reliable are oxytocin levels as predictors of giving? Watch the video and find out!