Although keyboards are taking up more and more space in our lives, writing by hand is nevertheless much better for our brain according to a study!
New research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, writing in handwriting would be beneficial for our memory. Indeed, writing by hand would mobilize neural networks, promoting learning and memory. Conversely, writing on a computer requires much less of the different regions of the brain.
The impact of handwriting
To measure the impact of handwriting on the brain, researchers from the Psychology department of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, studied the brain connectivity of 36 students. To do this, participants were invited to type on a keyboard or write by hand a word that they saw displayed on the screen. During this time, the researchers analyzed the candidates' brain electrical activity, via recordings called electroencephalography.
It was observed that the connectivity of different brain regions increased when participants wrote by hand, and not when they typed on the keyboard. In a press release, Professor Audrey Van Der Meer, author of the study, explains: “We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are much more elaborate than when writing on a keyboard. Such brain connectivity is important for memory formation and for recording new information. So it’s beneficial for learning.”
Good in his body, good in his head!
Encourage handwriting
Therefore, the authors encourage students to write more by hand during their lessons, when possible. “Students learn more and remember better when taking handwritten notes, but using a computer with a keyboard can be more convenient when writing a long text or essay“, concludes scientist Audrey Van Der Meer.
