Docudramas can increase empathy for those marginalized in society, according to a recent study.
A groundbreaking study reveals that viewing a docudrama centered on the fight to exonerate an innocent prisoner on death row leads to enhanced empathy for formerly incarcerated individuals and greater support for criminal justice reforms.
This research team from Stanford, led by psychologists, published their findings on October 21 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
“One of the key challenges faced by stigmatized groups, including those who have been imprisoned, is that the American public often misinterprets their experiences,” explained Jamil Zaki, the study’s lead author and a psychology professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S). “One effective way to address this empathy gap is to learn more about these individuals. Media plays a crucial role in facilitating this understanding, serving as a tool used by psychologists for many years.”
Researching the impact of narratives
This paper builds on Zaki’s previous empathy research and the extensive work of his co-author Jennifer Eberhardt, a Stanford psychologist who has explored the damaging effects of racial bias and prejudice for over 30 years.
The study’s concept arose from a discussion Eberhardt had with one of the executive producers of the film Just Mercy, adapted from the book by lawyer and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson’s book recounts his efforts with the Equal Justice Initiative to overturn the wrongful death sentence of Walter McMillian, a Black man from Alabama, in 1987, despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence. The film powerfully depicts the systemic racism entrenched in the criminal justice system, showcasing how racial bias devastates the lives of marginalized people, particularly Black Americans, within a flawed legal framework.
Coinciding with the film’s release, Eberhardt, a professor at H&S, the William R. Kimball Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Graduate School of Business, and a faculty director of Stanford SPARQ, published her book Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do (Viking, 2019), addressing many of the same themes as Just Mercy.
During her book tour, she discussed various topics with numerous people, including an executive producer of Just Mercy. He presented her with a question posed by former President Barack Obama, who had recently viewed the film at a private screening. Obama wondered if watching the film could alter the neural pathways in viewers’ brains.
“I explained to the producer that we don’t have to speculate — this is a question that can be answered through careful research,” Eberhardt stated. “This paper is an initial step in that pursuit.”
Eberhardt collaborated with Zaki to devise a study aimed at determining how Just Mercy might influence perceptions of formerly incarcerated individuals.
To assess the impact of the film on participants’ empathy levels, researchers asked them to watch a series of one- to three-minute videos featuring men who had been incarcerated. Participants rated their perceptions of the emotions conveyed by these men as they shared their stories. These ratings were then compared to the actual emotions expressed by the men during their recounting.
Broadening perspectives
The findings indicated that those who viewed Just Mercy displayed a heightened sense of empathy for formerly incarcerated people compared to the control group.
This also positively influenced their views on criminal justice reform.
Participants were asked if they would endorse and distribute a petition advocating for a federal law to restore voting rights to individuals with criminal records. The results demonstrated that viewers of Just Mercy were 7.66% more inclined than those in the control group to sign the petition.
As Eberhardt pointed out, this study highlights the effectiveness of storytelling. “Narratives resonate with people in ways that statistical data cannot.”
In a prior study where Eberhardt contributed, she discovered that relying solely on statistics regarding racial disparities does not encourage reflection on systemic issues—in fact, such data could unintentionally provoke more punitive attitudes. For instance, emphasizing racial disparities in the criminal justice system can lead to harsher responses and further support for the very punitive policies that contribute to those disparities.
As evidenced by Eberhardt and Zaki’s study, personal stories are what truly shift perceptions—a conclusion aligned with Zaki’s earlier research observing how live theater performance affects people’s views on social and cultural matters in the U.S.
The psychologists also noted that their findings apply universally, regardless of storyteller race or participants’ political beliefs.
“When individuals engage with detailed personal stories, it opens their minds and hearts to the storytellers and the communities they represent,” Zaki concluded.
