Article itself has no real point of view, but surveys some interesting research.
To this day people spend most of their conversations telling personal stories and gossiping. A 1997 study by anthropologist/evolutionary biologist Robin Dunbar, at the University of Liverpool found that social topics accounted for 65 percent of speaking time among people in public places. Anthropologists note that storytelling could have also persisted in human culture because it promotes social cohesion among groups and serves as a valuable method to pass on knowledge to future generations. But some psychologists are starting to believe that stories have an important effect on individuals as well-the imaginary world may serve as a proving ground for vital social skills.
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Preliminary research by Oatley and Mar suggests that stories may act as “flight simulators” for social life. A 2006 study hinted at a connection between the enjoyment of stories and better social abilities.