The debate over what constitutes reading has been a contentious conversation since the early ’90s, when books on tape first emerged. Purists of literature argue that reading is done with leisure time set aside and a physical book in hand, while those with less expense for opportunity say that audiobooks simply make consuming stories possible. But does this matter in the case of retention and comprehension? 

Those unfavorable to audiobooks aren’t in the majority, but do make up a staggering 40 percent of Americans. Those from the poll conducted by NPR earlier this year agreed that “listening to audiobooks is not a form of reading.”

The science behind the argument takes a different approach, centering on retention, literacy development, engagement, and comprehension. Studies have found that the right medium for readers is entirely dependent on age, skill, and lifestyle.

Beth Rogowsky, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies auditory and visual learning styles, found virtually no difference in comprehension among audiobooks, physical books, and e-readers, like Kindles, in a 2016 study of adults with an existing reading skill.

The argument tends to get a little fuzzy when talking about children and their auditory learning skills. The same study was later conducted with children still learning the fundamentals of reading and writing composition, and found that school-age children and “self-described auditory learners scored worse on comprehension rates across the board.” 

Daniel Willingham, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia and author of Raising Kids Who Read, coauthored a 2010 study that discovered similar results. Students taught a lesson via podcast performed twenty-eight percent worse than those who read the lesson. This, Willingham says, has to do with critical listening skills, which, like any other skill, can be improved through practice.

While audiobooks can provide significant aid for school-age children with prior knowledge of reading, especially those with dyslexia or ADHD, NPR’s Andrew Limbong says, “for kids learning to read, Rogowsky recommends picking up a book.”

Academic comprehension aside, the American Library Association (ALA) confirms notable engagement and literacy development through audiobooks, especially in children. In a 2019 Scholastic report, kids who listened to audiobooks were introduced to an expansive vocabulary 40% more than those who read independently. “These exposure opportunities are key for children learning English, or those from lower-literacy households.” Says Ellie Starfield, in an article by Starglow Media discussing the benefits of audiobooks for children.

In the case of physical books, our minds tend to wander, often for seconds, sometimes minutes, jolting back to the reality of the task at hand. This can look like absently reaching the bottom of a page before realizing you haven’t been paying attention to what you’ve been reading. In audio form, it can look like minutes lapsing, only to find that you haven’t retained anything the narrator spoke about.

“About 10 to 15% of eye movements during reading are actually regressive, meaning [the eyes are] going back and re-checking,” Willingham explains. “This happens very quickly, and it’s sort of seamlessly stitched into the process of reading a sentence.” This is easy to do while looking directly at the text. Comparatively, via audio, this would look like asking a speaker to stop and repeat their statement. Media for audiobooks often come supplied with a ten or thirty-second rewind button for this very reason, though it isn’t as smooth an action as it is with a physical book.

This all may be relevant to the audiobook vs. reading debate in that, similar to digital screens, audiobooks don’t allow the reader the physical cues they would use while reading the physical text. The ability to gauge where you are in a book and acknowledge where you are in the story helps to understand character and plot arc within the timeline of a narrative.

Additionally, and a point for listeners, readers may miss an intended message through a misunderstanding of tone in text. Listeners, on the other hand, can navigate information effortlessly from a speaker’s inflections. From sarcasm to Shakespeare, sometimes spoken language is the easiest way to understand what is being delivered.

A parting thought in the debate may be through Willingham, who says, “If you’re trying to learn while doing two things, you’re not going to learn as well.” A focused mind is going to achieve optimal results, whether that’s through physical books or through critical listening skills in audio; the right medium is different for everyone. In whichever style you read, what counts is that you’re reading.