D077 · Narrative Skill

Definition

The ability to explain through a coherent story structure: causality, pacing, meaning, and retention of the core point.

Poles

Each HES element is a spectrum, not a category: the Low and High poles describe how it presents at its two extremes, while the Reference marks the typical, everyday middle. The poles map variation across the range — neither end is inherently better or worse.

Low Pole

Thread is lost; listeners cannot accurately reconstruct the point.

High Pole

Story holds attention and preserves meaning even through retelling.

Reference

Good in calm conditions; degrades under pressure or conflict.

Measure

Primary: Comprehension Agreement — how similarly different listeners paraphrase the core thesis after exposure.

Measuring Methods

“One story → many paraphrases” → quantify divergence with predefined meaning criteria.

Empirical Anchor

Narrative skill / narrative competence (Bruner, 1986); storytelling ability; narrative intelligence (Randall, 1999).

Notes

Not identical to public speaking presence: one can be engaging but semantically unclear, and vice versa.

Citation

APA

Human Elements System. (2026). Narrative Skill (HES Passport D077, v1.2.4). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/D077

BibTeX

@misc{hes_D077, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Narrative Skill}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport D077, v1.2.4}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/D077}} }

HES passports describe psychologically researched elements within the Human Elements System. This is a conceptual framework — not a diagnostic tool, clinical reference, or therapeutic guideline.