Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Like many people, I loved reading growing up.
This love sparked from my mom reading to me each night before bed. We shared quality time reading our way through massive children’s book series such as the “American Girl Doll” series and “The Babysitter’s Club.“
As I progressed through middle school, other activities piqued my interest. I began to read less and less.
One day, on my way to swim practice, my mom and I listened to an audiobook in the car.
I marveled at this handy trick. Becoming more and more disgruntled with my mandatory reading for school, I decided to use audiobooks to complete my reading assignments.
Soon enough, my mom began recommending books in our shared Audible library to listen to. I laughed my way through Tina Fey’s “Bossypants“ and drew inspiration from Brené Brown’s “Rising Strong.“
One of my favorite things about these audiobooks is that they were read by the author. I felt a strong connection to the stories authors told in their own voices.
Ever since then, I have listened to audiobooks relatively consistently.
Audiobooks can be listened to while doing other activities, such as walking or driving, while printed books require a reader to be stationary. The opportunity cost of reading an audiobook is much less than reading a written book, according to Time Magazine.
Audiobooks’ approachable nature has also encouraged me to listen to academic books instead of sticking to my usual genres. This makes me a more diverse and informed listener.
While printed academic books suggest an assignment, academic audiobooks feel like a low-pressure way of expanding my perspective.
Audiobooks also widen access to literature. Children who struggle to read printed books can be introduced to literature through audiobooks, according to the National Literacy Trust.
However, solely listening to audiobooks can have negative effects. Audiobooks weaken comprehension and retention compared to printed books, according to Time Magazine.
In fact, Time Magazine reports that 10 to 15% of eye movement while reading is regressive, meaning readers often immediately reread sections to gain better understanding. This is completely lost in audiobooks.
Audiobooks increase the likelihood of daydreaming and multitasking. Physical barriers such as a lack of highlighting and annotating potentially decrease comprehension, according to Time Magazine.
That being said, audiobooks have a time and place.
Not all reading must be close reading. The National Literacy Trust suggests that more research is needed on the benefits of simply enjoying reading, something that audiobooks assist in.
Written word is not leaving our society anytime soon. However, audiobook technology benefits us in situations where less focus on detail is required.
Listening to audiobooks has a learning curve, similar to much of technology. Although comprehension drops from audiobooks, this can be changed as our uses for books change, according to the article “Are Audiobooks As Good For You As Reading?” in Time Magazine.
For much of human history, stories were spread orally. In the same way these skills were transformed for the task of reading, these skills can revert to listening to audiobooks, according to the article “Are Audiobooks As Good For You As Reading?” in Time Magazine.
Listening to books allows listeners to pick up on sarcasm and speaker inflection, increasing interpersonal communication in the outside world, according to the “We Release Research Review on the Benefits of Audiobooks on Literacy” article in the National Literacy Trust.
Listening to a human voice can elicit a strong emotional response, especially when read by the author. This suggests that audiobooks increase emotional intelligence, according to the “We Release Research Review on the Benefits of Audiobooks on Literacy” article in the National Literacy Trust.
Emotional intelligence’s value is only increasing in today’s social climate. Harvard Business School‘s article “Why Emotional Intelligence Is Important In Leadership” claims that emotional intelligence is a necessary skill for leadership, claiming it is the “strongest predictor of performance.”
Leaders set the tone for a workspace. Emotional intelligence promotes calm attitudes, productive conflict resolution and empathy, according to Harvard Business School’s article “Why Emotional Intelligence Is Important In Leadership.”
When used in the proper manner, audiobooks provide a number of advantages for casual readers. Hopefully, audiobooks are an aid to reintroduce them to reading.
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Contact Caitlin Murray via email:
caitlin.murray@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @caitlin_murray36
