The Psychology of Storytelling
Every storyteller has asked themselves at some point: What makes their stories sooo good” and “why do mine keep falling flat?
And what I’ve learned hearing, studying and analyzing thousands of stories over nearly two decades is this:
Stories only work when they tap into the human experience.
Our lived experiences are the entry point.
And if you want your message to stick and not just get skimmed, I’m talking about really resonate with people, then your stories have to do three things:
1. They have to be Relatable
2. They have to be Timely and
3. They have to Meet A Need
And it’s the ability to meet your audience’s needs where your story holds its greatest power.
Whether you’re an author shaping worlds, a speaker owning a stage, or a marketer trying to break through the noise, the bottom line is:
People only connect with stories at the level of need they’re living in right now.
Why Needs Matter in Storytelling
Remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs from Psych 101? The pyramid starts with survival at the bottom and self-actualization at the top. Food and shelter first, then safety, then belonging, then esteem, and finally purpose.
What really stood out to me about this is the idea that storytelling follows the same pattern:
When you’re barely hanging on, you laugh at the everyday stuff because laughter is relief.
When you’re looking for stability, you lean into stories that prove safety is possible.
When you’re aching for connection, you cling to stories that whisper, “You belong here.”
When you’re hungry for confidence, you’re moved by stories of achievement.
And when you’re chasing purpose, you need stories that make you see yourself, and the world around you, differently.
That’s resonance in action. Stories don’t just land randomly. They stick because they meet us where we are.
The Five Levels of Needs — and the Stories That Connect At Each Level
1. Physiological Needs: The Shared Laugh
At the base of Guinn’s Hierarchy of Storytelling (yes, I’m making this a thing) are the survival-level stories.
These are the subtle Shared Experiences and Rites of Passage — the funny mishaps, the predictable archetypes, the stories that give us a sigh of relief. Think Kevin Hart joking about being broke or Tyler Perry characters we’ve seen a hundred times but still recognize because they remind us of someone we know. Hallmark movies are notorious for this too! We love them so much because there’s comfort in knowing exactly how they end.
These are your Gateway Stories. They’re fun, entertaining, and necessary for reach — but they don’t stick for long. These stories and depictions don’t change us, but they make us nod and say, “Yeah, I’ve been there.”
At this level, the win is simple: It’s all about attraction and just getting an audience to look your way.
2. Safety Needs: The Story of Stability
Once we escape survival mode, we want stability.
These are Origin Stories and Rites of Passage where chaos gives way to structure.
Think of the entrepreneur rebuilding after getting fired. Or the coach explaining how they created systems so their family could finally breathe again.
These stories reassure us that safety and stability are possible. They give us connection and a security in knowing the ground beneath us isn’t going to cave in.
3. Belonging Needs: The Story of Connection
This is where the real connection happens.
At this level, stories reflect not just my experience but our experience as a community.
Chris Rock weaving family dynamics into his set. Ali Siddiq reminding us of the ties we can’t escape. A marketer talking about years of rejection before finally finding their tribe.
These are the stories that invite emotional buy-in and those coveted “me too” moments where your audience realizes “this person gets me.”
At this level, stories shift from just connection to resonance, turning an audience of strangers into a community that says, “You’re not out here alone.”
4. Esteem Needs: The Story of Rising Higher
Once we belong, we want to rise.
These are Transformation Testimonials and Origin Stories about overcoming, achieving, proving something to yourself.
Here, your audience doesn’t just feel seen — they feel challenged. This is when they start asking themselves, “Could this be me?”
These stories don’t just build your authority. They transfer confidence to your audience and make them believe they can climb higher, too.
This is also where we see the beginnings of Immersive Stories. Unlike Gateway Stories, which spark quick recognition, Immersive Stories invite your audience to step fully into the narrative. They don’t just watch your story — they live inside of it. That’s why stories at the Esteem level are so powerful: they bridge the gap between recognition and transformation.
5. Self-Actualization: The Story of Fulfillment
Finally, at the top of Guinn’s Hierarchy of Storytelling (seriously, this has a nice ring to it), are the deepest stories. The stories at this level don’t just entertain or inspire — they transform.
This is Dave Chappelle weaving social commentary into comedy or Hasan Minhaj tying his personal history to global politics. In marketing, this is often the way thought leaders reframe devastating loss into a legacy moment.
The difference at this level? These stories don’t just make you feel something. They shift your assumptions, challenge your priorities, and open the door for you to fully operate at your highest level of thought leadership.
This is where we abandon chasing quick wins and commit ourselves to building something that truly matters.
Gateway vs. Immersive Stories: Why Both Matter
Now let’s zoom out a bit…because when we talk about storytelling, there are really two categories that matter: Gateway Stories and Immersive Stories.
Gateway Stories are the entry point — the laughter, the recognition, the shared relief. They cast a wide net, spark curiosity, and make people feel seen at the surface level. You need them, because they get people through the door.
But if all you ever tell are Gateway Stories, you’ll find yourself spinning stories just to stay visible and try to hold your audience’s attention. Gateway stories will capture it, but they don’t keep it.
Immersive Stories, on the other hand, are the ones your audience lives inside of. They require more vulnerability, more specificity, more risk. But they’re the ones that stick. They don’t just get remembered — These are the stories that get retold. These are the stories that can easily become your brand identity and how you’re recognized, and referred, in your industry.
And here’s the key: the progression from Gateway to Immersive mirrors Maslow’s hierarchy itself. We start with attraction (Gateway), then move into connection (Safety and Belonging), and ultimately arrive at resonance (Esteem and Self-Actualization).
That’s why balance matters. Gateway Stories bring people in. Immersive Stories make them stay. Together, they give your storytelling RANGE.
Give Your Story Some R A N G E
If Gateway Stories are the spark and Immersive Stories are the fire, RANGE is what keeps the flame alive.
Most storytellers stop at the story itself — what happened, how it happened. But RANGE is about stretching your story across the entire spectrum of human need. It’s about showing your audience not just the plot, but the pattern.
RANGE means your stories don’t stay locked in one moment. They breathe. They travel. They touch the laugh your audience needed yesterday, the reassurance they need today, and the transformation they’ll need tomorrow.
And when you tell stories with RANGE, your audience doesn’t just consume them — they carry them. They see their own reflection in your words, and suddenly, the story you told becomes the story they tell.
For storytellers, RANGE is the difference between:
Copy that entertains in the scroll… and copy that echoes in the room.
A keynote that gets applause… and the keynote attendees can’t stop talking about in the lobby.
Being “visible”… and being unforgettable.
Because the truth is, your audience doesn’t need more stories. They need stories that meet them where they are, stretch with them as they grow, and hold enough weight to leave a mark.
That’s what RANGE does. It gives your stories legs and turns your authority into legacy.
Make Your Story Stick
At the end of the day, stories are more than words on a page or slides in a deck. They’re mirrors. They’re bridges. They’re sparks that can either fade out fast… or ignite something unforgettable.
Some stories pull a laugh out of us.
Some give us the safety net we’ve been searching for.
Some wrap us in belonging when we feel most alone.
Some push us to rise higher, to try again, to believe in ourselves.
And the rare ones shift us so deeply that we walk away differently than when we arrived.
That’s the work we’re really doing as storytellers. Not just telling stories, but telling the right story at the right time, with the RANGE to meet a need and the power to stick.
The Psychology of Storytelling: Human Needs & Relatability