1. Current models of narrative comprehension, like the event-indexing model, cannot reliably predict differences in perceived duration for fantasy versus reality narratives. 2. The event-indexing model proposes that readers construct, update, and retrieve situation models to understand narratives, integrating information about time, space, causality, motivation, and characters. 3. However, when comprehending fictional events with no real-world analog, readers may rely more on the plot than on integrating temporal information into the situation model.

1. Narratives & Time
Can current models predict
differential duration estimates for
“fantasy” and “reality” narratives?

2. The Short Answer
• No
– Just kidding.
» Kinda.

3. Event-Indexing Model
aka Situation Model (Zwaan & Radvansky)
• Three types of situation models
– Current, integrated and complete model
• Four types of processing
– Construction, updating, retrieval of
situation models & foregrounding of
specific situation model elements

4. How does it work?
• Info from sentences construct the
current model
• This info is integrated into a single
model - integrated model via updating
• Readers focus on different types of
information via foregrounding
• Integrated model is stored in LTM as a
complete model - may be retrieved

5. Five Dimension of Event-
Indexing Model
• Temporal
• Spatial
• Causal
• Motivational
• Person/Object

6. Focus on Time:
Situation Model
• Temporal info allows comprehender to
locate in time situations referred to in
discourse.
• But how do people get the temporal
information from the current situation
model?

7. Anderson, Garrod & Sanford
– Jenny found the film rather boring. The
projectionist had to keep changing reels. It
was supposed to be a silent classic. Ten
minutes/seven hours later the film was
forgotten. He/she was fast asleep.

8. Results
• Time shifts “outside the norm” took longer to
read and memory for character described
was less accessable.
• Anderson et al, argue that readers use world
knowledge about typical temporal length of
scenarios to judge perceived duration of
events described in scenario.

9. There is a problem
• First problem-
– What if one has not experienced a
scenario?
• Like a trip from Denver to San Fransisco by
AMTRAK
• Second problem
– What about fictional events that nobody
has experienced?
• Like a trip to the center of the Earth

10. Situation Model vs. Plot
Rapp & Gerrig
• Subjects given M time shift selected
minute-consistent outcome 89.5%
• But critically, given H time shift they
selected the minute-consistent outcome
56.2%

11. Plot Wins
Situation Model Looses
• Results demonstrated that readers
showed propensity to accept preferred
outcome despite reality-driven
constraints
• Providing evidence for plot-driven
analysis of narrative comprehension

12. Mechanisms for Differences
in Perceived Duration
• Perhaps for fantasy and reality narratives the
– Encoding or retrieval of the situation model
involves a qualitatively different process
– Unable to connect fantasy narrative to reality
– The plots are qualitatively different thereby
imparting differences in reader’s wishes or desires