Social media hasn’t just changed what we consume—it’s changing how we communicate. In this episode, Kristi breaks down the rise of the “influencer voice” and why the vocal patterns dominating online content can actually undermine your effectiveness in the courtroom.

While fast-paced, high-energy delivery may win attention on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, jurors need something entirely different: clarity, structure, and space to think. Kristi explores how these competing communication styles impact cognitive load—and what trial attorneys must do instead to support juror learning and decision-making.

In the Communication Tip, she shares how to use repetition with variation to strengthen juror retention, drawing on proven educational strategies that move information from working memory into long-term understanding.

LISTEN HERE...

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the “influencer voice” is and why it works online
• Why fast, high-energy delivery increases cognitive fatigue in jurors
• The key differences between online content consumption and courtroom learning environments
• How to adjust your communication style to better support juror processing and retention
• Why repetition alone isn’t enough—and how variation makes it effective
• Practical ways to reinforce key ideas using multiple communication modalities

Key Takeaway:

Jurors don’t need more stimulation—they need more support.

When you prioritize clarity, pacing, and varied repetition over speed and intensity, you reduce cognitive load and make it easier for jurors to understand, retain, and use your message.

Favorite moment:

“Repetition without variation gets ignored. Repetition with variation gets remembered.”

Links & Resources:

@etymologynerd Changing accents of influencers -

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1488399349285296/?fs=e&fs=e

Adam Aleksic - Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language

EducatorWorld - https://www.educationworld.com/teachers/how-repeating-questions-can-make-concepts-stick

Pace & Pause Guide → https://www.fostervoicestudio.com/paceandpause

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TRANSCRIPT:

Helllooooo!!! Hello Foster Fam. Welcome back. Hope you're doing well and are enjoying your spring. Today we're going to talk about how you can optimize juror learning, but before we dive in, let's talk about social media quick.

I don’t think a single one of us can say we’ve avoided social media. And honestly? I think there’s a lot to enjoy about it. I personally really like being on "the socials" and all the ways I can stay connected to folks online. But along with these platforms came something new—an entirely new career: the influencer. That was not on the list at Career Day when I was in high school… and now? Totally normal.

Now, being fairly active on "the socials," I run across these personalities and posts regularly, but ironically, until i saw this one particular reel, I didn't quite understand HOW I was getting drawn in. I'm putting the link to the reel in the shownotes and encourage you to watch it, but it's an online Influencer of sorts, his handle is @etymologynerd and he's broken down "The Influencer Voice."

You can see why I was immediately drawn to watching and why it perked my interest.You know...VOICE. But it was really fascinating. And as I was watching it, I had this moment of—Oh… this isn't just interesting. This is really shaping how people communicate everywhere.

He breaks down EXACTLY how influencers are strategically using their voice to beat the algorithm and get more retention from their audience. As a guy that makes educational content, he uses a fast speaking cadence with hardly any pauses to get your attention and keep you listening. There are others that shout at you and use exaggerated, sensational language to elicit an emotional response that keeps you leaning in. And then there's the lifestyle influencers who use "upspeak" as a way to keep the energy suspended so you keep listening in order to subconsciously get to the resolve.

It's WILD! And also...true. As Adam says (that's his real name), "people are modifying the way that they talk because it algorithmically works. It's better at going viral." These are all linguistic techniques that have evolved over time to capture your, my, online attention. And none of this is accidental. This is trained, patterned, and reinforced behavior.

This guy Adam, Adam Aleksic, wrote a book called Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language. I've linked him in my show notes. But I think this concept is fascinating and as a professional orator and courtroom communicator, you need to be paying attention to this.

Okay, so, I know we're living in an age where people have limited attention spans, so i understand how it's tempting to use some of these influencer accents in real-life interactions. To speak fast so they get hooked, to use sensationalize language that triggers quick emotional responses, or to use an overly casual lingo to bridge relationships and build rapport.

But here's my hot take, and where I’m going to push back a little—Because it’s tempting to bring these patterns into real-life communication…

But I think that’s a mistake. These tactics work for how people consume content online. They don't work for real life. For online content, everything is short. We're talking 90-second reels and YouTube Shorts. They're not long enough for the listener to reach cognitive load. That's not true in the courtroom.

Online content is also consumed by an individual, in the comfort of their own space, in comfy, personalized environment, and in the palm of their hand where they have total control. I mean, maybe "control" is a bit much since we know there's lots of new research about how addictive social media is. But, you know what I mean. They at least hold "the controller."

And again, NONE of these elements are true for jurors. They're in an unfamiliar, formal space, with no autonomy, no control, and no comfort. They need a different mode of communication from you that fits the environment and the "platform" they're on. This isn't TikTok, and to cater to a tiktok model of communication would be a mistake. Jurors don't need constant stimulation; they need structure & clarity.

And when you use “influencer-style” delivery in that environment—like when you talk too fast, when you use volume and blustery body language to "create impact", when you don't pay attention to vocal patterns—you don’t increase engagement.

You increase cognitive fatigue.

This really warrants some ongoing analysis and conversation because this will continue to be prevalent and impactful for you as a an influential, in-person communicator. This isn’t going away. These patterns are only going to become more common. Which means—you need to be more intentional than ever about how you communicate in the courtroom. Not louder. Not faster. But smarter.

I think i'm going to get his book. Let me know if you've read it? What do you notice for yourself online, in "the socials?" What kind of influencers, or who are the influencers, that capture your attention? And can you see the trends in the types of accents they use? I'm for sure going to be paying closer attention to this. I hope you will too.

—BREAK—

You may not know this, but my background is in education. I have a Master’s in teaching, and I spent years in both private and public school classrooms before moving into educational theater. So when I talk about communication—I’m always thinking like a teacher.

Every teacher will tell you repetition matters. But not the kind that sounds like: “Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom…” That’s not effective repetition. That’s just noise.

Effective repetition stems from creativity; saying the same thing but using different modalities to do so. This helps kids who are visual learners, kids who are auditory learners, and kids who are kinesthetic learners. Approaching the same concept from different tactics reinforces the learning.

There was a great article I found from EducatorWorld.com, I've linked it in the show notes, that breaks down the science of repetition for us. The article says, "Our brains are wired to respond positively to repetition. When we encounter information repeatedly, neural pathways strengthen, making it easier to recall that information later. It's like building a sturdy bridge in our minds. The more we walk across it, the stronger it becomes." Repetition without variation gets ignored. Repetition with variation gets remembered.

And so you see this play out in elementary schools. Learning times tables — they make up multiplication chants (auditory), use flash cards (visual), and create little hand tricks to help students work out problems quickly (kinesthetic). Learning social studies — they use timelines, experiment reflections & journaling, and interactive geography games. Different modalities to build stronger bridges in the mind.

So, news flash...what worked for elementary school ALSO works for the courtroom. There's no reason NOT to repeat key ideas in varied ways with varied methods, especially if you need for those key ideas to guide decision making.

Remember, you are a high stakes communicator, which means you're imparting knowledge not just for the sake of learning, but for the purpose of decision making. So, you need the info to move out of short term working memory and get to the places of the brain where it can really encode and connect with their neurology. Repetition will do this. It will strengthen that neural encoding.

So, repeat, repeat, repeat. Be really patient in the teaching section of your opening. Be creative in all the ways you can reinforce your key points. Reinforce them from different angles. Because repetition with novelty? That’s what actually sticks.

Until next time, keep fostering your voice.