You can listen to the news or read a news article. You can listen to an audiobook or you can read the digital or print version. You can listen to a podcast or you can read the blog post online. That begs the age-old question: Which of those choices is the best use of your time? In this post, we’ll examine the effectiveness of reading vs listening.
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Which is More Effective: Reading or Listening?
Everyone is unique, and we all have different learning styles. Some people may find listening to content more effective than reading—and vice versa. Here are some factors that might influence the effectiveness of each:
Time, Place & Convenience
It’s going to be a lot more effective and convenient to listen to an audiobook when you’re driving, doing chores, or exercising. Basically, any time when you can’t take the time to sit down and read and also need to multitask, listening is the better choice.
Content
While listening may allow you to pack more into your day and increase productivity, is it actually effective? According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers found that the brain processes information similarly for both listening and reading, depending on the content.
It may be okay to listen to a work of fiction or a lighthearted talk show, but when you’re trying to grasp concepts and understand dense content, reading is more effective. Reading will allow you to actively engage with the content so you can thoroughly analyze and review the information.
The Science Behind the Effectiveness of Reading
While the brain processes information the same way whether it’s read or heard, there’s more to the story than that. Let’s break down the effectiveness of reading vs listening in three main categories: comprehension, speed, and distraction.
Comprehension: Active vs Passive Learning
When it comes to comprehension, reading comes out ahead. Reading requires more engagement and focus than listening. When you read, your mind is grappling with new information, and even if you’re not fully grasping a difficult concept on the first read, your inner voice is narrating the words on the page and actively engaging with the content. This type of engagement from reading is known as active learning.
Listening to a podcast or audiobook is considered passive learning, because you aren’t forced to actively engage with the content. This lack of engagement leads to a lower level of comprehension. In a recent study, students were quizzed after listening to a podcast or reading. Those who listened to the podcast did 28% worse on the comprehension quiz than those who were given reading materials.
Speed
While it might be surprising, studies show that reading is actually faster than listening. In fact, most college-level readers can read between 200-400 words per minute. This means that most people comprehend more information at a faster rate by reading than listening.
Distraction
Whether you’re reading or listening, it’s natural to get distracted and space out for a bit. However, once you snap back to reality, it will be easier and quicker to go back and reread information you missed in a book than it will be to skip back through an audio file.
Transcribe Your Audio Content!
When it comes to reading vs listening, it’s clear that there are many advantages to reading. In fact, three times as many people choose to download a transcript when given a choice between a transcript and an audio/video file.
The bottom line? Making transcripts available will help your audience to better engage with your material while allowing you to get your message out to more people.
Intentional Reach is the leading sermon transcription service provider. Have your sermons, podcasts, and speeches transcribed to reach three times more people with your message! Get Started
