Which is better: audiobooks or regular reading

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Scientists have compared the pros and cons of different perceptions of the text.

Even for those who love paper literature, it is sometimes difficult to find time to read. In such cases, it is very convenient to turn on the audiobook and do other things. Beth Rogowsky of the University of Bloomsbury ran an experiment to test how well we perceive information by ear.

Some of the participants in the experiment listened to excerpts from the documentary Unbroken about World War II, while others read the same text using an e-book. The third group both read and listened at the same time. Then all the participants passed the test for the assimilation of the material. “We found no significant differences in understanding among those who read, listened, and combined reading with listening,” Rogowski says.

But it is too early to draw conclusions. In this experiment, e-books were used, not paper books. There is evidence that when we read from the screen, we understand and remember the material worse. And if Rogowski had used paper books, the results might have been different.

Firstly, the e-book does not make it clear where you are staying. “The sequence of events is important in storytelling,” says psychologist Daniel Willingham. “And when you know exactly where you are, it’s easier for you to build a story arc.”

E-books show how many percent or minutes are left until the end, but this does not give the same effect. The text on the printed page is located in a certain place, and this improves memorization.

Listening, like screen reading, does not provide spatial cues that are found in a paper book.

Another factor contributes to the difference in perception: the backward movements of the eyes. “10-15% of eye movements during reading are reversed, that is, the eyes go back and run through what they read,” explains Willingham. "It happens very quickly, you don't even notice that the reading process is going on that way." This feature improves understanding. In theory, of course, you can rewind the audio file, but very few people will go to such unnecessary trouble.

Don't forget that everyone is sometimes distracted. It may take a few seconds or even minutes before you focus again. When reading, it is easy to find the place where you stopped perceiving information, and re-read the fragment again. With audio recording, however, it is not so easy, especially if you are listening to complex text.

The ability to quickly return to the desired location facilitates the learning process. And it's easier to do this with printed text than with an audio file.

"Plus, while you turn the page, you take a short break," says psychologist David B. Daniel. In that short space, the brain can store the information you just read.

Daniel was one of the authors of a study that tested students' comprehension of text. During the experiment, some listened to a podcast, while others read the same information on paper. Then everyone passed the comprehension test. And the results of the participants from the first group were 28% lower.

Curiously, before starting the experiment, most of the students wanted to join the audio group. But immediately after the test, many said that they did not remember much and would prefer reading.

There are other obstacles that interfere with the assimilation of information by ear. For example, in a book, important passages may be underlined or in bold.

Visual cues immediately grab our attention and improve memory.

In an audiobook, this is impossible. However, with practice, your listening skills will improve. The same applies to screen reading. Over time, you will become better at memorizing information from an e-book.

The last factor that can tip the scales towards reading is the problem of multitasking. “If you’re trying to learn something by doing two things at the same time, you’re less assimilating the information,” notes Willingham. Even if you are doing one thing on autopilot, for example, driving a car or washing dishes, some of your attention is occupied, and this makes learning difficult.

But audiobooks have other advantages. “Humans have been transmitting information orally for millennia,” says Willingham, “whereas the printed word came into being much later. The listener can extract a lot of information from the speaker's intonation. For example, sarcasm is much easier to convey in voice than in text. And if you listen to Shakespeare, you can understand a lot from the manner of the actor's performance."

Let's summarize. If you need a book for study or work, read on paper. This is how information is remembered best. If the book is purely for pleasure, it doesn't matter if you are reading or listening. A slight difference in perception won't change anything. Choose the format that you like best.