WHAT IS the better way to read? Research suggests that reading on screens is a less effective way to absorb and retain information than reading the old-fashioned way, but why? And in a world where screens are ubiquitous, both in work hours and leisure time, it is inevitable that the way we read would change.
While the basic process of looking at and interpreting the written word remains the same, reading on a screen differs from “static” reading of paper-based material.
Reading is a recent addition to our communication arsenal. We did not evolve to read. Our language developed as speech, so speaking and listening come naturally, but reading only emerged about 5,500 years ago. We are not hard-wired to read, and it remains something we have to learn, and can only master by practicing for 10 to 15 years.
If reading is a recent innovation, then reading on screens is brand new, and it has brought further challenges for our brains. A number of research studies strongly suggest that when we read text on a screen, we understand less than if we read the same text on paper, and this applies across languages and writing systems.
But a number of contributing factors may be involved, including the content of what we are reading. When people become immersed in a narrative, like a novel, then comprehension is less likely to be affected by reading on a screen. Comprehension drops when we are using a screen to read information-dense text, like a textbook for study.
The amount of time you have available also seems to be a factor, as when readers are put under pressure in studies to read something quickly, their comprehension drops for test on screen compared to paper.
The effect is more pronounced for less skilled readers, and one study also suggested that reading on a screen can increase readers’ susceptibility to misinformation, as they don’t notice discrepancies in the content so easily.
Just why this drop in comprehension happens is not well understood and requires further research. Physical factors such as eye strain, brightness, comfort and fatigue may be adding to it, and habit and association could also have an effect.
With the advent of smartphones, we have come to associate screens with shorter, less serious content that encourages skimming. Trying to read something longer and with more complex language can result in a struggle to focus, particularly on small screens.
Screen inferiority may have implications for learning, both online and in classrooms when screens are used. We know people who are less skilled readers are most affected, which means the greatest impact is likely to be on the people who already need more help to succeed.
Something we don’t yet understand is what effect it will have on children who are learning to read primarily on screens, and we are not likely to find out for another 10 to 15 years. By Manny Palomar, PhD (EV Mail March 10-16, 2025 issue)
