Don’t Read This!

Your iPhone is ruining your brain.

Researchers are worried that our reading and comprehension skills are being diminished by our many digital pursuits. Based on my own experience, I’d have to agree with them.

Full disclosure. I have an iPhone (I have been fully assimilated into the Borg). I have a Kindle. Although I do not own one, I have used iPads and Surfaces. I stare a computer all day.

I don’t know what I’d do without them.

When I first got my Kindle, I was concerned that I wouldn’t like reading from a “device” instead of a proper book. I got over that pretty quickly once I realized I could carry around a whole fickin’ library on the thing! Woot!

But cognitive neuroscientists say that because of the way information is delivered in digital formats, our brains have adapted new ways to read and comprehend. In essence, we’ve developed more of a scanning approach to reading in order to quickly take in the sense of the material along with all the hyperlinks scattered throughout which tend to distract us. That’s okay for checking box-scores or the weather, but not so great for deep comprehension of meaty subject matter or fine prose.

So far, research does seem to suggest that deep comprehension is better when the material is delivered on paper versus bits on a screen. I can believe it.

Whenever I pick up an actual book nowadays, I do find myself re-reading paragraphs because I have unconsciously “scanned” the page rather than “read” it. I find that I have to make an actual effort to slow down in order to get any enjoyment from the book. That’s something I never had to do before.

So do yourself—and all us starving scribblers out here—a solid: Put down the iPad and pick up a book. Take your time and read it.

Your brain and I thank you.