Science Has Great Newsfor People Who Read Actual Books
It'sno secret that reading is good for you. Just six minutes of reading is enoughto reduce stress by 68%, and numerous studies have shown that reading keepsyour brain functioning effectively as you age. One study even found thatelderly individuals who read regularly are 2.5 times less likely to developAlzheimer's than their peers. But not all forms of reading are created equal.
Thedebate between paper books and e-readers has been vicious since the firstKindle came out in 2007. Most arguments have been about the sentimentalversus the practical, between people who prefer how paper pages feel intheir hands and people who argue for the practicality of e-readers. But nowscience has weighed in, and the studies are on the side of paper books.
1. Readingin print helps with comprehension.
A2014 study found that readers of a short mystery story on a Kindle weresignificantly worse at remembering the order of events than those who read thesame story in paperback. Lead researcher Anne Mangen of Norway's StavangerUniversity concluded that "the haptic and tactile feedback of a Kindledoes not provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as aprint pocket book does."
Ourbrains were not designed for reading, but have adapted and created new circuitsto understand letters and texts. The brain reads by constructing a mentalrepresentation of the text based on the placement of the page in the book andthe word on the page.
Thetactile experience of a book aids this process, from the thickness ofthe pages in your hands as you progress through the story to the placement of aword on the page. Mangen hypothesizes that the difference for Kindle readers"might have something to do with the fact that the fixity of a text onpaper, and this very gradual unfolding of paper as you progress through a storyis some kind of sensory offload, supporting the visual sense of progress whenyou're reading."
Whilee-readers try to recreate the sensation of turning pages and pagination, thescreen is limited to one ephemeral virtual page. Surveys about the useof e-readers suggest that this affects a reader's serendipity and sense ofcontrol. The inability to flip back to previous pages or control the textphysically, either through making written notes or bending pages, limits one'ssensory experience and thus reduces long-term memory of the text.
2. Readinglong sentences without links is a skill you need — but can lose if you don'tpractice.
Readinglong, literary sentences without links and distractions is actually a seriousskill that you lose if you don't use it. Before the Internet, the brain read ina linear fashion, taking advantage of sensory details to remember where keyinformation was in the book by layout.
Aswe increasingly read on screens, our reading habits have adapted to skim textrather than really absorb the meaning. A 2006 study found that people read onscreens in an "F" pattern, reading the entire top line but then onlyscanning through the text along the left side of the page. This sort ofnonlinear reading reduces comprehension and actually makes it more difficult tofocus the next time you sit down with a longer piece of text.
TuftsUniversity neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf worries that "the superficial waywe read during the day is affecting us when we have to read with more in-depthprocessing." Individuals are increasingly finding it difficult to sit downand immerse in a novel. As a result, some researchers and literature-lovershave started a "slow reading" movement, as a way to ｃounteract theirdifficulty making it through a book.
3. Readingin a slow, focused, undistracted way is good for your brain.
Slow-readingadvocates recommend at least 30 to 45 minutes of daily reading away fromthe distractions of modern technology. By doing so, the brain can reengage withlinear reading. The benefits of making slow reading a regular habit arenumerous, reducing stress and improving your ability to concentrate.
Regularreading also increases empathy, especially when reading a print book. One studydiscovered that individuals who read an upsetting short story on an iPad wereless empathetic and experienced less transportation and immersion than thosewho read on paper.
Readingan old-fashioned novel is also linked to improving sleep. When many of us spendour days in front of screens, it can be hard to signal to our body that it'stime to sleep. By reading a paper book about an hour before bed your brainenters a new zone, distinct from that enacted by reading on an e-reader.
Three-quartersof Americans 18 and older report reading at least one book in the past year, anumber which has fallen, and e-books currently make up between 15 to 20% of allbook sales. In this increasingly Twitter- and TV-centric world, it's theregular readers, the ones who take a break from technology to pick up a paperbook, who have a serious advantage on the rest of us.
SOURCE: http://mic.com/articles/99408/science-has-great-news-for-people-who-read-actual-books
Image: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dyuMO3YMIxc/TOs6i3sOHFI/AAAAAAAAADY/hTFiwvAGxbA/s1600/reading.gif
VOCABULARY:
1. sentimental - of orprompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.
2. practical - as to the convenience and easy access andcost-effectivity of an activity
3. tactile - of orconnected with the sense of touch.
4. ephemeral - lasting fora very short time.
5. advocates - recommend, promote, support
DISCUSSION:
1. Describe your readinghabits.
2. How many actual books do you own?
3. How many electronicbooks do you have?
4. The practicality of reading electronic booksallows people to read more.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
5. Reading actual books allows people toremember and understand the contents of the books better.
Agree or disagree? Why?
