A couple of weeks ago, I was driving and listening to an interesting radio show during which the announcer asked how many of us have recently sat down and read a chapter of a book without becoming distracted. I was sad that this question even came up. What happened to our ability to read actual books? Are we all developing some form of ADHD? The focus of the show was on the various technology-related distractions that often drag our attention away from tasks like reading and how technology has changed the way we focus. This reminded me of an interesting book I read some time ago called, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, by Nicholas Carr. In this book, the author reviewed lots of research suggesting that our engagement with technology changes our brains. In particular, the consumption of information via electronic devices has influenced how we read, with some research showing that we read differently on-line than we do when we have a book in front of us. Many studies have apparently addressed this issue since the 1980s, with a recent Scientific American article concluding that reading on paper is still more effective than reading on screens (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-reading-brain-in-the-digital-age-why-paper-still-beats-screens).
I notice a difference when I read information on a website or news feed compared with when I sit and read a book. Specifically, when I’m reading electronic material, I tend to scan across quickly for the first few sentences or paragraph and then start scanning downward for relevant information. In contrast, when I read a book, I read laterally the whole time, remaining focused on each sentence. When I read material on-line, I am seeking relevant information and disregarding other information, but when I read books, I’m not scanning for relevant information. Instead, I become absorbed in all of the content I’m reading.
That’s not to say one is better than another. The Internet, in all its permutations, is primarily a way to gather or interact with information relatively quickly. We might be looking for something in particular or just surfing and browsing feeds, websites, and so forth, focusing on what interests us. In contrast, I find that I use books as a way to delve deeply into what I’m reading. I’m not picking and choosing what passages to focus on or looking for discrete information (unless I’m reading a textbook), but rather, diving into the world that the book has created. I find this incredibly enriching and calming; in many ways, it’s like a mindfulness practice.
Although our interactions with screens might be changing our brains, I think it’s still possible to be in screen mode when we’re on the internet and book mode when we’re reading a book. This just takes practice. One way to practice is to strike more of a balance between reading books and being on screens. These days, I spend relatively little time on screens unless I’m working, and in my leisure time, I spend a lot of time reading books. Any of you who have read my blogs in the past know that I’m a fan of the public library system. One reason for this (beyond getting out and interacting with my community) is that I simply read a lot more books than I would if I had to buy them. I normally put a bunch of books on hold, and like dominoes falling, they become available (sometimes all at once!), and because I know I only have a limited period to read them, I get to it. I’ve got about 7 or 8 books out for the holidays, but I’m on the cusp of getting some others that I’ve had on hold for a couple of months. Admittedly, it can be stressful when the books pile up and there’s no way to read them before they’re all due! That said, I’ve found that each book opens up a new and interesting world that I can spend some time in for a while. It’s a lot like travelling without having to fight traffic, go to the airport, wait in lines, breathe recycled air, get jet lag, and so forth. Each book is its own adventure, and I really enjoy low-cost adventures that I can mindfully enjoy in my favourite chair over the holiday season. ~Alexander L. Chapman, Ph.D., R.Psych.