Seldom Is Heard: Voices of the Cowgirl

Department: Exhibition and Experience Design.
Advisors: Lyons, Christina. Committee members: Cowan, Brenda.
This document is arranged in two sections. Part One explores theory, and Part Two outlines the application of this theory in an applied project. Part One considers the opportunities in adaptive storytelling to achieve historical empathy in a history museum setting, allowing visitors to integrate historical knowledge into their perspectives on the present and future. The theory explores the affective and cognitive balance necessary to achieve historical empathy in an exhibition setting by examining several factors for the visitor. First, the paper establishes the importance of addressing a visitor's entrance narrative, defined as the internal story a visitor has in relationship to exhibition content, as a part of the learning process. It further explores the opportunity to develop empathy using a psychological gesture to mimic a historical figure. This gesture can also be used to maintain immersion in the exhibition while engaging with technology interactives. Finally, Part One outlines current applications of adaptive storytelling and proposes a new story authorship model by applying research from social psychology and Shared Reality Theory and the development of historical empathy. Part Two demonstrates the application of a holistically integrated adaptive storytelling system in a designed environment. The applied project includes all elements of exhibition content development; sourcing of historical artifacts; and the design of graphics, 3D spaces, audio visual elements, lighting, and fabrication detailing documentation. Adaptive storytelling (AS) in the exhibition setting is any form of storytelling that can be affected in real time by visitor decisions. Applications of AS range, but they are often employed as a layer on top of an existing exhibition to provide tailored content to a visitor. Studies have shown that while visitors broadly respond positively to AS, there is a need for stronger integration between the physical exhibition and the virtual adaptive sto