Media, modality, and motivation in literary-aesthetic experience: exploring auditory and visual reception of literature

Audiobooks have a rich history, evolving from Edison's invention of the phonograph to today's digital audiobooks. Initially considered auxiliary to printed books, audiobooks now enjoy concurrent release and widespread consumption, evident in market growth and increased user engagement. Persistent debates surround the classification of audiobook perception as reading, proponents advocating equivalence while critics contend that they are distinct modes of reception and aesthetic experience. Based on a praxeological approach and a theoretical framework encompassing text, medium, listeners, situations & practices and their resulting effects, this focus group study (n = 34) revealed nuanced perceptions and self-descriptions of regular audiobook listeners, indicating clear distinctions between reading and listening. Despite divergent opinions, the participants demonstrate awareness of their motivations, concrete text selection, specific practices, and contextual factors that influence their choice of reception modality. This research highlights the implications of shifting from print reading to digital listening and the disparities and similarities between the auditory and visual reception of literary texts.