Rodero, See It on a Radio Story

== Abstract ==
Emma Rodero's See It on a Radio Story: Sound Effects and Shots to Evoked Imagery and Attention on Audio Fiction analyzes how both sound effects and sound shots play a role in creating mental imagery on the radio. Radio has been described as the "theater of the mind" because the listeners are capable of creating mental images. Rodero conducted a research to show the impact of how mental imagery is dependent on the representation of the audio messages. 
== Key Concepts ==
Mental imagery is defined as "a sensorial process generated from a sound stimulus without the true stimulus being .present," The idea is based off of two different theories: Paivio's dual coding theory (DCT) and Kieras's propositional-representations theory (PRT). DCT states that the listener separates the speech that's heard from the surrounding sounds. PRT states that mental imagery is separated by "perceptual structures" and "semantic knowledge." In order for mental imagery to be produced, the listener needs to be alert. The listener goes through a series of processes to encode the information. The first step they engage is the perception process, where the stimulus attracts the person's attention. Once the person is alert, they have to maintain the stimulus, which maintains their attention. Finally, they go through the final stage: the concentration stage. In this stage, each person's attention span begins to vary.
In order to further enhance the listener's visual image and attention, both sound effects and sound shots have to be used. Sound effects are sounds that are represented by objects or the environment, whereas sound shots are used to help depict location within a given space. These two audio effects provide both the "what" and the "where" within a given environment, providing a sense of realism.
== Examples ==
An example of a sound effect would be the sound of a bounce to represent a bouncing ball or a growl to represent an angry dog.
An example of a sound shot would be plane flying by. The distance between the person and the plane can be determined based on the sound intensity. As the plane approaches, the sound intensity becomes greater, thus being louder. However, once the plane flies pass you, the sound intensity decreases, indicating that the plane is far away. 
== Further Readings ==
* Mental Imagery and Sound Effects in Radio Commercials
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cax&AN=9308265333&site=ehost-live
This journal is written by two different authors who are able to confirm that sound effects enhances the listener's experience by increasing their imagery activity.
* Free Object Sound Effects
http://www.audiomicro.com/free-sound-effects/free-object-sound-effects
This website shows different examples of sound effects that are used to represent certain objects.
* Introduction: Sound Medias, Sound Cultures
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=90144700&site=ehost-live
This journal talks about how sound is used in many different sources of medium, but it is not seen as the primary medium.
* Sound and Listening: Beyond the Wall of Broadcast Sound
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=102104775&site=ehost-live
This article talks about how radio broadcasting and audio media are harmonizing to amplify the overall listening culture.
* Radio and affective rhythm in the everyday
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=48574071&site=ehost-live
This article talks about how radio sound affects the listener's mood and their daily routines.
== Keywords ==
Radio, Sound Effects, Sound Shots
== Citation ==
Rodero, E. (2012). See it on a radio story: Sound effects and shots to evoked imagery and attention on audio fiction. Communication research, 39(4), 458-479.