Reading on paper makes the brain more active. This is the conclusion of a new study from the University of Tokyo published in Frontiers in Behavorial Neuroscience in March 2021. To reach this conclusion, the researchers conducted a test with 48 volunteers aged 18 to 29.
A memorization test
Participants were asked to read a conversation between fictional characters containing a range of information such as dates, projects, appointments, etc. The participants were then divided into three groups: the first group wrote down this information on paper, the second on a tablet, and the third on a smartphone. After a break, each participant in each group had to answer a questionnaire to evaluate the degree of memorization. It then appeared that those who took notes on paper had answered the questionnaire in 11 minutes, those who used the tablet in 14 minutes, and those who used the phone in 16 minutes.
Better results with paper
The researchers found that the participants who used paper were quicker to answer the questionnaire. They also concluded that the paper format was more stimulating to memory.
"Our current experiments demonstrated that brain activations related to memory, visual imagery, and language during retrieval of specific information, as well as deeper encoding of that information, were stronger in participants using a paper notebook than in those using electronic devices." explains the study.
Researchers believe that these findings should be reflected in learning methods.
