In a world where everything is digital, from class assignments to peoples’ social lives, one would expect the physical book to be a relic of the past. However, a recent poll of students here at Rocky tells a different story: a whopping 82% of Rocky students still reach for a real book over a Kindle or e-book. While this form of reading might seem “old school,” science shows that our preference for physical books isn’t just about familiarity but that it’s actually linked to how our brains work.
One of the biggest reasons to stick with print is comprehension. Research from Psychology Today suggests that readers take in and recall information better when reading from a physical page. This happens because physical books provide “tactile cues” like the feeling of the pages on the left growing thicker while the ones on the right shrink. It helps our brains to create almost a “mental map” of the story. When we scroll or read on a screen, we tend to skim through text, making it harder for our brains to process everything we’re reading.
Beyond just taking in more information, physical books are better for our health in general. Students spend most of their school days staring at laptop screens, and the blue light from it can lead to serious eye strain and even mess with our sleep. An article from the National Institute of Health reported that, “According to the American Optometric Association, the usage of digital devices continuously for two hours is adequate to bring about digital eye strain”. When students are forced to look at screens the whole day at school and then use more screens for entertainment, it can have serious affects on their eyes. That being said, picking up a paperback can be the best form of a digital detox, giving our eyes a break and helping us wind down without low-battery warnings or distracting notifications.
Though our world is filled with distractions and pop-ups, students at Rocky have proven a physical book can still hold our focus. In an age of endless notifications, the simplest technology of ink on paper is still one of the best tools we have for getting caught up in a good read.
