The Science Behind The Captivating Nature Of Audio Storytelling

Since the surprising success of the "Serial" podcast, many listeners have wondered what made the podcast so captivating, even addicting. Perhaps it's the content itself, a classic whodunit true crime story that leaves everyone at the edge of their seats with each new development. The characters, needless to say, are also intriguing, and listeners get to analyse them based on how their voices sound. The soothing voice of host Sarah Koenig is also a factor, not to mention her careful analyses of every evidence she unravels week per week.

Or maybe it is a combination of all these factors that make for a compelling story. As Paul Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University, says in The Atlantic: "A good story's a good story from the brain perspective, whether it's audio or video or text. It's the same kind of activation in the brain."

According to Zak, the best stories will always have an increasing level of tension, which engages audiences intellectually and emotionally. This engagement is caused by the neurochemical oxytocin, which is released by the body as a response to tension and stress.

Zak and his colleagues conducted a study in 2009 that had participants watch short video clips featuring an emotional or unemotional scene. After watching the clips, they filled out a survey about their emotions, played a game to test their level of generosity towards a stranger, and had their blood drawn. Those who said that they were feeling empathetic with the characters in the clip have 47 percent more oxytocin in their body than those who felt no empathy at all.

Zak also said that character-driven narratives work best in inciting empathy. "You can tell a war story or something with a lot of action that will grab your attention, but you still need a personal story, someone to empathize with. We need to have that social aspect for it to resonate with us," he said.

Such is the case for podcasts with compelling storylines. An example of this is the Quick Fictions podcast found in Audioboom Group PLC (AIM:BOOM). With more than 4,000 listens for its 24 episodes, the Quick Fictions podcast is composed of bite-size stories that packs a punch and makes a lasting impression beyond its 300-word limit. The podcast has gained quite a following on Audioboom, thanks to its relatable narratives and brevity, with each episode lasting only less than three minutes.

But the story is not the only thing that hooks listeners to story-based podcasts. According to Emma Rodero, a communications professor at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, a dramatised audio structure using voice actors can stimulate listeners' imagination. Furthermore, another study pointed out the importance of sound effects that represent objects and environments, as it generates an effect that gives the listener a sense of space by recording a sound that is far away. Sounds increase the level of mental imagery, causing listeners to pay more attention to what they are hearing.

For Rodero, the intimacy of the audio medium cannot be matched. "Audio is one of the most intimate forms of media because you are constantly building your own images of story in your mind and you're creating your own production. And that of course, is something that you can never get with visual media," she said.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au