Scientists restore the good name of audiobooks

Finally we have research for this. Scientists have found that listening to audiobooks is no different in principle from reading books. What's more, both variants can be used interchangeably, and our brain will not protest.

The debate about the superiority of books over audiobooks returns regularly, and book readers surprisingly often discredit audiobooks. Opponents of audiobooks claim that listening cannot be treated as reading. A listened book does not count as much as a read book.

Every time I read such words, I fundamentally disagree with them. As a person who listens more than he reads, I have completely different experiences in this topic. I don't see the difference between audiobooks and books, and what's more, I sometimes absorb one book in both ways in parallel.

Scientists restore the good name of audiobooks.

Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley decided to see how the human brain reacts to reading a book and listening to audiobooks. To this end, they scanned and analyzed the cerebral cortex and investigated how the brain processes each word heard and read.

History stimulated the same cognitive and emotional areas in the brain, regardless of medium. Unconvinced persons may challenge the survey due to the fact that only nine persons participated in it. However, the methodology is expensive and time consuming, and the researchers say the results obtained are unambiguous.

I have no doubt that audiobooks should be treated equally with books.

I have been listening to audiobooks and reading books alternately for several years. Last year, around five books read about one audiobook. I listened to them when I was doing housework that did not require mental involvement, i.e. cleaning, vacuuming, mowing the lawn, etc.

Since my daughter's birth, I have almost completely switched from books to audiobooks. I don't have time to read, but I listen to more than ever, mainly on walks. I also notice a tendency to constantly accelerate the pace. Currently, I listen best at the rate of x1.5, and I feel it is not over yet. A lot depends on the book and the teacher.

I don't see any, but absolutely no difference between the assimilation of content from the book and the audiobook. The only drawback to the audiobook is the fact that it is harder to go back to one specific fragment in the book. I'm a visual person, so finding a specific sentence in a book is not a problem, while in an audiobook it is impossible.

I am not buying the statement that you can drift away with your thoughts too easily with an audiobook. This is not an objection to the form, but to the recipient, because you might as well not focus on the text you read. Both forms require a focus on content.

I'm starting to understand why some people are bouncing off audiobooks.

For many people, audiobooks are associated with a car. Long routes behind the wheel are theoretically the perfect time to listen to books, but in practice it varies. Personally, I can't focus on the audiobook in a car for more than an hour. There are people who drift away after a few minutes, but there are also people who can listen to the audiobook for several hours of the route.

Here we come to the point. The results of the research of scientists are indisputable, so when you focus, you absorb the read and listened content in the same way. However, the key is the statement about focus. In my experience, the problem lies not in the medium itself, but in a situation where we want to listen to the book.

You can listen to an audiobook everywhere, but it's not worth it everywhere. For me, the crowning example is the mentioned car driving, when I can't focus on the audiobook. But could I write on a book? I don't know, because it would require an autonomous car.

The second problem with audiobooks is lectors.

I did a short survey among my friends and I noticed that a lot of people bounce off audiobooks because of the teacher. Readers who read fiction often have a tendency to act excessively, which in their opinion is to build a climate, but in fact spoils the reception of the book. Excessive acting does not suit every book, and in many cases a "transparent" reader works best. If acting, it's best in radio plays.

Either way, it's worth finding your moment on audiobooks. In one person it will be a car, in another bus, in another walk, and in the next only washing dishes. You won't find out if you don't check yourself. And it's worth it. Finding a way for audiobooks will allow you to assimilate books in situations where reading is impossible. It is worth it, especially if the alternative is a total waste of time.

Scientists restore the good name of audiobooks