SoC First Year Seminar: Interdisciplinary Topics in Communication Arts & Sciences (101-0-1)
Topic
Engaging Audiences: Narrative and Neuroscience
Instructors
Bharath Chandrasekaran
Erin E Courtney
Meeting Info
Frances Searle Building 1421: Thurs 2:40PM - 5:30PM
Overview of class
Why do we connect deeply with certain films, TV shows, or plays while others fail to captivate us? What draws our attention to specific details in a scene, and what occurs in our brains when we become immersed in a story? How do writers craft engaging narratives across different mediums, and how do directors ensure their vision resonates with the audience? This course delves into the science and art of audience engagement by combining two key perspectives: neuroscientific research and creative writing. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore audience reactions to various genres (comedy, drama, horror) and mediums (film, TV, audio, theater), examining both the scientific principles that drive audience engagement, and the creative strategies used to capture attention. Coursework will alternate between analyzing scientific research on audience responses and studying the structural elements of storytelling across genres and mediums. Writing exercises will allow students to apply these insights to their own creative work.
Readings may include The Play Was Always the Thing: Drama's Effect on Brain Function, The Science of Screenwriting, Neurocinematics: The neuroscience of film, among others. The course will also feature field trips to a neuroscience lab and a theater, where students will interact with technologies that capture both individual and collective audience experiences in real time. By merging creative narrative development, audio-visual technology, and neuroscience, this course seeks to synthesize new insights and innovations in storytelling. Students will engage in both research and writing to deepen their understanding of what makes a narrative truly engaging.
Learning Objectives
Students will: engage critical thinking skills while exploring the breadth of School of Communication creative and research endeavors; identify key factors relevant to the course topic; differentiate between multiple perspectives and interpretations; explain how at least two School of Communication disciplines might approach a different topic. Students will: experiment with research and communication conventions associated with School of Communication disciplines; demonstrate their ability to communicate ideas and/or experiences compellingly by using appropriate research tools, soliciting feedback, employing disciplinary conventions, and addressing audience expectations. Students will collaborate with peers from different SoC majors to highlight the benefits of interdisciplinary inquiry. Students will collaborate with peer across different majors to successfully complete at least one group project and reflect upon the skills employed to accomplish the task.
Class Attributes
SOC First-Year Seminar