If you try to sound professional by flattening your voice into a "newscaster" tone in your podcasts or videos, you are actually making it harder for people to listen. Science shows that listeners physically mimic the tension in your voice. Basically, if you feel nothing, then they feel nothing.

This episode looks at Simulation Theory and Emotional Contagion. I go over how your vocal prosody triggers the mirror neurons in your listener's brain. This biological link is why that "NPR Voice" thing often doesn't work all that well in podcasting, and why you need to use techniques to connect.

Get better at communication and public speaking to improve your next episode.

Key Takeaways:

1. Why listeners physically mimic the emotions they hear in your voice.
2. Why sounding objective or impartial creates a barrier to connection.
3. Mirror Neurons: How to trigger the "audio-motor link" in your audience's brain.
4. A simple script analysis and practice drill to inject genuine emotion into your episodes.

RESOURCES:

1. Emotional Contagion: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/mirror-neurons-critical-development-empathy
2. Simulation Theory: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2865077/
3. Prosodic Cues: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4588126/
4. Deep acting: https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/deep-acting-at-work/
5. Newsletter: https://stereoforest.com

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About and Support

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Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Find this show on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@jdehaan

Website at https://stereoforest.com/lab

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

Contact Jen at https://jendehaan.com

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Support

Your support will help this show continue. Funds will go towards hosting and music licensing for this show and others on StereoForest. This show is produced by an independent HUMAN artist directly affected by the state of the industry. StereoForest does not have any funding or additional support.

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About Jen

Host: Jen deHaan is the founder of StereoForest. With a background of over 20 years in tech, education, & instructional design and 10 years in improv and performance, Jen brings systems and scientific approach to media production.

Jen's website: https://jendehaan.com

This podcast is a StereoForest production. Made and produced in British Columbia, Canada.

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