The Cycle Of Life And Story: Redemptive Autobiographical Narratives And Prosocial Behaviors

Adults often understand their lives by constructing personal stories and then living into them. Time and time again, a positive relation has been found between the tendency to build redemptive personal stories wherein negative and challenging experiences ultimately give way to positive endings and prosocial behavior. Here, I review the relevant literature in the interest of advancing the notion that redemptive stories and prosociality exist in a virtuous cycle. Engaging in prosocial acts can stimulate the redemptive framing of one's past. By the same measure, once formed, individuals work to bring the story to life, and the ethos of redemption holds the potential to stimulate and sustain prosocial behavior.