While a majority of radio’s reach comes through car speakers, the industry might want to focus on more audience share closer to the ear. According to research conducted by scientists from the University of California, listening to audio content through headphones has a greater persuasive effect compared to speakers.
The study, conducted through online and field experiments, involved 228 students on the University of California campuses. The researchers involved were Alicea Lieberman, Juliana Schroeder, and On Amir from various management schools within the university.
The study found that people feel closer and more empathetic to what they’re hearing when using headphones, leading to a better impression and increased agreement with the message. The benefits of headphone use were amplified when 8D audio technology, which creates a surround sound experience, was employed.
The experiments revealed several notable findings. Participants were more likely to believe that using a phone while driving is extremely dangerous when listening through headphones, and they were also more inclined to write a supporting letter or seek information on how to help a speaker when hearing their message through headphones. The study suggests that the feeling of the voice originating from one’s own head enhances emotional and social closeness, fostering warmth and empathy towards the speaker.
While the research focused on negative and evocative content, such as the impact of COVID, traffic accidents, and homelessness, the effect may not be as strong for rational or positive messages. Factors such as the speaker’s voice quality and familiarity with the listener could also influence the impact.
Given that Americans listen to an average of 4 hours of audio daily, with a steadily increasing portion through headphones, audio advertising via streaming or podcasts holds potential for companies seeking to leverage this persuasive effect. This could also point to an added benefit of having a mobile app for stations, that are fighting for their share of ear.
