How does the narrative technique of "stream of consciousness" alter the reader's experience of reality in modernist literature?

The narrative technique known as "stream of consciousness" aims to provide a direct representation of the flow of a character’s thoughts and feelings. Popularized by modernist writers like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and William Faulkner, this approach offers readers an immersive experience by mimicking the nonlinear and often chaotic nature of human thought. This technique challenges traditional narrative structures and blurs the line between reality and perception, inviting readers to experience the intimate and fragmented process of thought as if they were inside the characters’ minds. How does this technique change the way readers perceive and interpret the 'reality' presented in the text, and what does it reveal about the complexities of human consciousness?