[Last Updated: 2026-01-08]
You might try to flatten your vocal delivery to sound authoritative or professional. This style mimics traditional broadcasters or public radio hosts. However, neuroscience suggests that removing emotional variation from your voice actually creates a barrier to listener engagement.
What is Emotional Contagion?
Emotional Contagion is the phenomenon where listeners physically mimic the emotions they detect in a speaker’s voice. If a speaker sounds tense, the listener feels tension. If a speaker sounds bored, the listener disengages. This automatic mirroring means you must genuinely feel the emotion you want your audience to experience.
How do Mirror Neurons affect podcasting?
Research has identified specific areas in the brain that respond to the sounds of actions. These are related to auditory mirror neurons. When a listener hears a host speak with acoustic characteristics of anger or excitement, their own motor cortex simulates those physical actions. This “audio-motor link” allows the listener to understand the emotion behind the words.
Why is “NPR Voice” ineffective for engagement?
The “NPR Voice” or news broadcaster style is designed to sound impartial and objective. It intentionally flattens vocal affect. While this works for neutral news delivery, it fails in podcasting because it leaves the listener’s mirror neurons unused. Without emotional transfer, the listener feels nothing and often tunes out.
What are Prosodic Cues?
Prosodic cues are changes in pitch, duration, and volume that create an information hierarchy. We naturally speak slower and louder when sharing critical new information. We speak faster and quieter for less important details. Removing these cues makes it difficult for the listener’s brain to determine what is important.
What is the “Why Pass” drill?
The “Why Pass” is a script analysis technique detailed in this episode of “Podcast Performance Lab” where you review each segment of your notes and ask, “Why do I care about this?”. You identify the genuine emotion you feel about the topic (could be frustration, excitement, or relief). You then heighten that emotion to an “11” during a practice read to ensure it comes through in the final recording.
You return to your genuine level of feeling for the recording. See if that adjusts how well you communicate it on the mic or into the camera lens.
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Author: Jen deHaan is the founder of StereoForest and the host of The Podcast Performance Lab, where she applies behavioural psychology to content creation.
Watch or Listen to this episode
You can listen to or watch the full breakdown in the full episode on the Podcast Performance Lab.
