Audiobooks:
Same as Reading?
Speed
Both audio and visual methods allow the user to read a book at any speed; books read or listened to for pleasure are generally read more quickly than books for other information needs (Lesesne, 2007).
Motivation
Reading a book compared to listening to it is similar if the motivation is to enjoy the writing and comprehend the story (Willingham, as cited by Newman, 2007).
Interpretation
Similar to reading, audiobook listening requires hearing and interpreting what is happening within a story, observing plot developments, and making conclusions (Lesesne, 2013).
Comprehension
According to University of Virginia cognitive neuroscientist Daniel T. Willingham, 'The basic architecture of how we understand language is much more similar between reading and listening than it is different” (as cited by Newman, 2007).