Reading and listening to oral‐based versus literate‐based discourse

Previous research has rarely examined listening/reading differences in conjunction with conceptually relevant discourse variation. In the present study, college students either listened to or read ghostwritten speeches or magazine articles. Participants also completed tests of listening ability, reading ability, prior knowledge, and amount of invested mental effort. Consistent with listenability theory, results indicated that listeners and readers alike best comprehended oral‐based discourse. Reading was superior for acquiring information, though it required greater investment of mental effort.