4 Studies Showing The Benefits Of Reading

4 Studies Showing The Benefits Of Reading

For avid readers, it seems intuitive that reading yields wonderful benefits. However, there are also several studies providing scientific data to support these claims. Take a look and then get started on a new favorite novel!

1. Better Brain Function

Improving overall brain function should be a coveted power desired by all of us. According to this 2013 study, neuroscientists have discovered that reading fiction novels greatly improves the connectivity of the brain.

Essentially, this means that escaping to imaginative worlds via books can improve many areas of our lives — intellectual, social, and mundane interactions are all part of the measured brain activity.

The study also suggests that reading is better than watching television, at least when it comes to brain performance. Although both are forms of entertainment, reading shows greater neural engagement than watching TV. According to this study, reading also promotes empathy… but, more on that later.

Study: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/brain.2013.0166

2. Memory Recollection
Study: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/19/readers-absorb-less-kindles-paper-study-plot-ereader-digitisation
In this 2014 study, 50 participants were given the same mystery fiction piece to read. Following completion of the assignment, each was then asked a series of questions to prove comprehension. The variable in this study was that half of the participants read the short story in print, while the other half read on a digital e-reader device.

The researchers received unexpected results. Going into the study, the scientists suspected that a loss of empathy and character engagement would result from reading the digital version. Instead, that aspect was much alike for the two groups, whereas the differences showed up in memory recollection.

Study participants who read the story in digital version were significantly less likely to correctly place the order of events than those who read the printed version. Scientists believe the reason has to do with the tactile aspects of holding a printed book. Readers are more likely to remember events in a certain order when paired with the physical element of page turning.

This is a very interesting study suggesting that reading printed books still has a highly useful place in our modern society. However, since this study only included 50 participants, much more research will need to be done to determine the broader effects of printed versus digital reading modes.

3. Staying Ahead in School
Study: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10824669.2012.688171
This study, published in 2012 by the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, shows the many advantages of continued year-round reading.

Many children are enrolled in schools where summers are free. Although this break has its own benefits to children, parents, and teachers, a noticed decrease in learning abilities often follows when school begins again in the Fall. To overcome this dilemma, many schools prescribe summer reading programs.

This study gives weight to the habitual practice of reading — daily or weekly being best. Although this study focuses on the benefits for school-age children, it can be inferred that adults would benefit from regular reading habits as well.

4. Improved Empathy
Study: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6156/377.abstract
In this 2013 study, researchers found that reading fiction in the Literary genre improved empathy. The ability to understand other people’s emotion is an essential social skill and aids in navigating relationships at all ages.

For this study, psychologists performed five experiments on 1,000 participants. Then, using a version of the Theory of Mind techniques, the researchers fielded participants to determine how well they could identify the emotions of others. The results were better short-term empathy from readers of the Literary genre than those of other genres such as Romance, Thriller, and Adventure.

Now that you can see the evidence for the many benefits of reading, what book will you read next? Check out my site, www.leifericksonwriting.com to discover the next book that will benefit you.