Which is better for learning and retaining information: Audiobooks or hardcopy?

Question

My brother insists that he gets just as much knowledge from listening to audiobooks in his car as I do from reading. I think reading is a whole different--and better--experience for the brain, even if it isn't particularly deep reading.

Answer 1

Humans learn through three different ways. There are visual learners, audial learners, and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners learn best when they see the information. Audial learners learn best when they hear the information. Kinesthetic learners learn best when they physically do the information (such as learning the parts of speech with each student being a part of speech and standing in the order of the sentence while naming the parts of speech--ok--I know that was confusing.)

Therefore, your brother may be an audial learner while you seem to be a visual learner.

Therefore---you are both right.

Answer 2

It really depends on the person. I have seen numerous studies claiming audio is better or hardcopy is better. Honestly it is in the way that person learns and most importantly retains information. If you always need to see something before you can actually learn it (visual) then a book will work better for yourself. If you just need to hear it to learn it then a audio book will work better. That is why there are people who just have to attend a class pay attention and they can take a test and will get a good grade, this is because they are audio learners. Some people have to study and look at notes and problems for hours on end prior to being able to get a good grade on a test. So you are both right.

Answer 3

I love to read a book, but cant always find the time. A great alternative for me are audiobooks. I listen while I run the treadmill and drive to work. I just finished Stephen King's The green Mile and I really enjoyed it!

Answer 4

As a general rule, reading permits better retention. This is greatly influenced by the level of literacy (I'm not making a joke) which will determine whether you get more from reading or audio. If your reading ability is good (you hear that--reads at a 5th grade level or 9th grade level) and your vocabulary is good, then you get more from reading. If your vocabulary is not very good then you must concentrate more on the meaning of words, and reading one word at a time rather than flowing. Most people read only one word at a time, but will scan ahead with their peripheral vision to enable the reading to flow smoothly.

Answer 5

Each person learns and understands differently. I have to read something adn yet my mother likes her audiobooks. Auditory learners are those who can sit in lectures and learn everything witohout cracking a book.

It is possible your brother is telling the truth, as are you. You both learn differently.

Answer 6

People learn in different ways. Perhaps your brother can retain knowledge better from listening. I, however, am like you in that I retain knowledge best from reading.

Answer 7

I think it's totally dependent on the individual. Some people are visual learners while others are hands on. I have friends who can remember anything they read. While I have to read & then write down something in order to remember it indefinately.
Either way as long as your learning that's the important thing.

Answer 8

Hard Copy, I think. I know when I listen it's in one ear out the other, but when I read it it stick with me (and I can always go back a page or two to re-read when I want).

Answer 9

Both! You can't beat reading a book the old fashioned way but it's still enjoyable to listen to one. My partner and I always read in bed - he listening to downloaded books on his MP3 player and me reading a good old hardback book. For learning purposes you cannot beat listening to something and then having a hard copy for reference :)

Answer 10

greater palms on, thank you to many toasted recommendations cells for memory, i'm getting and bear in mind a number of what i examine yet whilst its a e book i ought to ignore and look at a million/4 or greater returned till now i understand i already examine the dang factor, and chatting with human beings properly that relies upon , i think of maximum persons are full of shyt so purely pay interest to 3 million/3 of what they say .yet music i bear in mind and carry each and each word sound and lyrics purely approximately spontaneously