Whether you love them or hate them, listicles—a combination of lists and articles—have rapidly become a popular content format. Examples like “22 Brain Facts,” “29 Things Australians Say (That Americans Don’t),” and “17 Things Humanity Ruined in 2015” are everywhere. But what makes them so appealing? There are scientific reasons behind their popularity.
Listicles are easy to read and digest, much like the graphic novels of the internet. They help curate information in a world where we are bombarded with content. In 2008, researchers estimated that people consumed 60% more information than in 1960. Back then, the average American spent 7.4 hours a day, outside of work, consuming media. By 2008, this number had increased to 11.8 hours, and today it’s closer to 13 hours. With so much content available, we often find ourselves distracted. A curated list is appealing because it allows us to quickly skim and process its content. The headlines, such as “The 25 Most Huggable Pokémon,” provide immediate satisfaction by telling us exactly what to expect.
The ease of processing information in listicles can lead to interesting effects. At the heart of this is cognitive fluency, which measures how easy it is to think about something. People generally prefer thinking about things that are easy to process. The more fluently you can process an object, the more positive your response to it tends to be.
In one study, researchers presented participants with statements like “Osorno is in Chile” in colors that were either easy or difficult to read. Statements that were moderately visible were judged as true, and highly visible statements were judged as true significantly more often than by chance. The researchers concluded that the fluency with which we perceive things affects our judgments of truth. Another study found that participants subconsciously smiled when viewing images that were easier to process. While we can’t definitively say that reading listicles makes us smile, consuming easy-to-process information might have a similar effect.
Easy-to-process information isn’t new to the internet age; it has been important throughout history. Mike from Idea Channel notes that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by our current list-laden moment. The internet, with its distractions and animated content, has contributed to the popularity of this format. Mark O’Connell, writing for the New York Times, describes online browsing as a “comic nightmare of futile enumeration.” He suggests that the listicle has been around much longer than the internet and is one of the central ways we’ve cataloged and organized the world.
Examples of listicles include “5 Genius Trashcan Lifehacks,” “The 21 Most Important Raccoons of 2015,” and “159 Disney Quotes for When You Need an Instagram Caption.” For more on the history and impact of listicles, you can explore Idea Channel.
While lists have been enjoyed throughout history, they are not without flaws. Some argue that listicles are detrimental to journalism, but the issue often lies in how they are written. In my opinion, listicles don’t necessarily help with memory retention or learning. I can only recall two list articles or videos from the past two years: “37 Signs You Grew Up in Australia in the ’90s” and “20 Facts About the Muppets.” These resonated with me on a deep emotional level.
Listicles are appealing because they can be consumed quickly, providing a sense of satisfaction. Some even suggest that listicles activate the brain’s reward system, leaving you wanting more. Psychology professor Peter Dolittle mentions that our working memory is quite limited. We tend to remember about four things for 10-20 seconds unless we apply that information to something we already know or discuss it with someone. Otherwise, information can easily be forgotten.
Listicles aren’t inherently bad; they have a well-deserved place in the media landscape as entertainment, and our brains appreciate their easy processing. However, as educational tools, their effectiveness is debatable. For more insights from Mike and his perspective on humanity and listicles, check out Idea Channel.
See you next week!
Choose a popular listicle from a well-known website and analyze its structure. Identify the elements that make it engaging and easy to read. Consider the use of headlines, images, and the overall flow of information. Share your analysis with your peers and discuss how these elements contribute to cognitive fluency.
Create a listicle on a topic of your choice, ensuring it is both informative and engaging. Focus on using clear and concise language, and consider incorporating visuals to enhance cognitive fluency. Share your listicle with the class and gather feedback on its readability and appeal.
Participate in a debate on the merits and drawbacks of listicles compared to traditional articles. Prepare arguments for both sides, considering factors such as information retention, engagement, and educational value. Reflect on how listicles fit into the broader media landscape.
Conduct research on the historical context of listicles and their evolution over time. Explore how listicles have been used in different media and cultures. Present your findings to the class, highlighting key milestones and their impact on modern media consumption.
Design a small experiment to test the concept of cognitive fluency. Create two versions of a short text: one that is easy to read and another that is more challenging. Ask participants to read both versions and record their reactions and comprehension levels. Analyze the results and discuss the implications for content creation.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Whether you love it or hate it, the listicle—a blend of list and article—has quickly become a very popular content format. Examples include “22 Brain Facts,” “29 Things Australians Say (That Americans Don’t),” and “17 Things Humanity Ruined in 2015.” Listicles are everywhere. So, why are they so popular? There are some ideas, based in science, that explain why.
Listicles are readable and easy to digest; they’re kind of like the graphic novel of the internet. They also play a role in curating information. Researchers estimated that in 2008, people consumed 60% more information than they did in 1960. Back then, the average American spent 7.4 hours a day, outside of work, watching, reading, and listening to things; on the phone and having conversations with others. In 2008, that number was 11.8 hours a day, and today it’s closer to 13 hours. Because we consume so much content, we’re often distracted. A curated list appeals to us. Part of this appeal is being able to skim or quickly look at a listicle and process all of its content. The headlines help by telling us exactly what we’re going to get: “The 25 Most Huggable Pokémon.” This gives us satisfaction.
However, this ease of processing information can lead to some interesting effects. At the core of this is cognitive fluency—it’s a measure of how easy it is to think about something. People tend to prefer thinking about things that are easier to process compared to those that are harder. Generally, the more fluently you can process an object, the more positive your response is to it.
In one study, researchers showed participants a statement, like “Osorno is in Chile,” in colors that made it easy or difficult to read. Moderately visible statements were judged as true, and highly visible statements were judged as true significantly more than what people would choose by chance. The researchers concluded that how fluently we perceive things affects our judgments of truth. Another study found that when participants looked at images that were easier to process, they subconsciously smiled. While we can’t infer that reading listicles makes us smile, consuming easier-to-process information might.
Easy-to-process information isn’t new to the internet age; it has played an important role throughout culture. Mike from Idea Channel notes that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by our current list-laden moment. The internet, with its distractions and animated content, has contributed to the popularity of this format. Mark O’Connell, writing for the New York Times, describes online browsing as a “comic nightmare of futile enumeration.” He suggests that the listicle has been around much longer than the internet and is one of the central ways we’ve cataloged and organized the world.
Examples of listicles include “5 Genius Trashcan Lifehacks,” “The 21 Most Important Raccoons of 2015,” and “159 Disney Quotes for When You Need an Instagram Caption.” If you want to hear more about the various ways listicles have been both flawed and important throughout history, check out Idea Channel.
While we’ve enjoyed lists throughout history, it’s not a perfect format. Some people argue that listicles are harming journalism, but the issue often lies in how they are written. In my opinion, listicles don’t help you remember or learn. I can only recall two list articles or videos from the past two years: “37 Signs You Grew Up in Australia in the ’90s” and “20 Facts About the Muppets.” I remember these because they resonate with me on a deep emotional level.
Listicles are appealing because they can be consumed quickly, providing a sense of satisfaction. Some even say that listicles activate the brain’s reward system, leaving you wanting more. Psychology professor Peter Dolittle mentions that our working memory is quite limited. We tend to remember about four things for 10-20 seconds unless we do something with that information, like applying it to something we already know or discussing it with someone. Otherwise, information can easily be forgotten.
The listicle isn’t inherently bad; it has a well-deserved place in the media landscape as entertainment, and our brains appreciate that we can process them easily. However, as educational tools, I remain unconvinced. If you want to hear more from Mike and see his perspective on humanity and the listicle, check out Idea Channel.
See you next week!
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the original content’s meaning.
Psychology – The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. – Example sentence: In her psychology class, Maria learned about the various theories of personality development.
Listicles – Articles on the internet presented in the form of a list, often used to convey information in a concise and engaging manner. – Example sentence: The psychology blog featured several listicles on how to manage stress effectively.
Cognitive – Relating to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension, including thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving. – Example sentence: Cognitive psychology explores how people understand and interact with the world around them.
Fluency – The ability to express oneself easily and articulately, often used in the context of language and cognitive processes. – Example sentence: The professor emphasized the importance of reading fluency in the development of cognitive skills.
Information – Data that is processed, organized, and structured to provide meaning or context, often used in the context of communication and learning. – Example sentence: The psychology seminar focused on how the brain processes and stores information.
Media – The various means of communication, such as television, radio, newspapers, and the internet, that reach or influence people widely. – Example sentence: The impact of media on adolescent behavior is a significant area of study in psychology.
Memory – The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information, a central topic in cognitive psychology. – Example sentence: Researchers are exploring how memory can be affected by different psychological disorders.
Learning – The process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences. – Example sentence: The course on educational psychology covered various theories of learning and motivation.
Content – The information and experiences that are directed towards an end-user or audience, especially in the context of media and communication. – Example sentence: The psychology professor curated content that was both engaging and educational for her students.
Satisfaction – The fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations, or needs, or the pleasure derived from this. – Example sentence: Job satisfaction is a key factor in organizational psychology studies.
