Pen or keyboard: which is better for the brain?
9.2.2024
Translation: machine translated
Typing is more practical, faster and also easier than writing by hand. Why it's still worth reaching for a (digital) pen.
When was the last time you took handwritten notes? Has it been a while? Then it might be worth picking up a pen again soon. At least if you want to remember what you've written down in the long term. Because if you write by hand, you can remember the content better afterwards. A Norwegian research team has now discovered why this is the case
How to boost your brain with your handwriting
For the study, students were asked to type or write down given words by hand. The participants' brain signals were measured by EEG.
The results showed that writing by hand led to a more pronounced formation of new connections in the brain. This affected the regions of the brain that are responsible for cognitive processes of seeing and recognising, speech formation and movement.
The explanation is simple: while typing on a keyboard simply involves a finger pressing a key, writing by hand is a much more complex process. The precise and controlled hand movements address more regions in the brain. The movement information and visual impressions then contribute to the connections in the brain that promote learning. "The improved brain activity is due to the careful formation of the letters when writing by hand and the simultaneous increased use of the senses," explains study author van der Meer.
School and university: writing by hand or typing?
Writing everything by hand is no longer the norm and schools are also increasingly turning to tablets or computers instead of pen and paper. This certainly has its advantages: It is simply quicker to type on a keyboard. Typing is easier and less frustrating for beginners. It also allows children to express themselves independently in writing at an earlier age. However, this comes at the expense of correct spelling and memory. If children write by hand, they are better able to remember what they have written later on.
The researchers therefore recommend allowing schoolchildren to write by hand in class. Students also fare better if they use handwritten notes in lectures. This way, they store the information as they write it down and can access it more easily thanks to the new neural connections in the brain.
If you prefer digital employees but still prefer to use a pen, that's no problem: writing with digital pens on your tablet also stimulates your brain to form new connections.
Titelfoto: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels
Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
