How Listening versus Reading Alters Consumers’ Interpretations of News. (Melumad & Meyer, 2024)

Imagine this: you’re tuning into the evening news. You could either listen to the story unfold through a smooth voice on the radio, or sit down and read the same report in your favorite newspaper. Sounds like a simple choice, right? But here’s the twist—how you consume that news might actually change how you feel about it. Research suggests that when you listen, you can’t control the flow of information as easily as when you read, which means your brain locks onto the more intense, emotional details—especially the negative ones. Over 14,000 people were tested in experiments, and time and again, listeners came away with more pessimistic views than readers, especially when a news story balanced both risks and benefits. But what if we told you that even readers, when their control is limited, fall into the same trap of focusing on the negative? Or that listeners, when surprised by positive details, might shift their outlook to the brighter side? So, how much does the way you consume news really shape your perspective? Is it time to rethink how we engage with information in today’s fast-paced media world? Reference Melumad, S., & Meyer, R. (2024). EXPRESS: How Listening versus Reading Alters Consumers’ Interpretations of News. Journal of Marketing Research, Accepted Manuscripts. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437241280068