The Effect of Auditory and Visual Recommendations on Choice

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Understanding factors influencing adherence to recommendations is crucial for effective communication.
• The modality through which recommendations are delivered (auditory vs. visual) may impact user behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of recommendation modality on recommendation adherence.
• To explore the psychological mechanisms underlying modality effects on behavior.

Main Methods:

• Conducted five online experiments with 6,103 adult participants recruited via TurkPrime and Prolific.
• Compared adherence rates for auditory (spoken) versus visual (written) recommendations.
• Examined the role of the need for closure and perceived urgency.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated significantly higher adherence to auditory recommendations compared to visual recommendations.
• The effect of auditory modality on adherence was consistent across human and automated voices.
• The enhanced adherence to auditory recommendations was partially explained by the sense of urgency associated with auditory messages, linked to the need for closure.

Conclusions:

• The physical properties of communication modalities, such as auditory ephemerality, can significantly influence psychological states and subsequent behaviors.
• Auditory recommendation delivery may be a more effective strategy for promoting adherence than visual delivery.
• Future research should consider modality effects in designing recommendation systems and communication strategies.