FeaturedNeuroscience·October 18, 2022·4 min readLiteracy Influences Understanding of SpeechThe writing system with which we learn to read may influence how we process speech, researchers report. Findings suggest the ability to write influences the way in which our brains process language.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·July 8, 2021·5 min readHandwriting Beats Typing and Watching Videos for Learning to ReadAdults learning to read a novel language can better cement their lessons with handwriting, a new study reports. Writing by hand reinforces both aural and visual learning, providing a perceptual-motor experience that unifies what is being learned about the letters.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·June 17, 2021·4 min readWriting Can Improve Mental HealthFrom reflective journaling to creative prose, writing can help boost self-esteem, deepen a sense of self-control, and improve self-awareness. Writing can also help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 25, 2021·3 min readAesthetically Appealing Art Increases Creative InspirationViewing art you find aesthetically pleasing can help boost your personal creativity, researchers report.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 19, 2021·6 min readStronger Brain Activity After Writing on Paper Than on Tablet or SmartphoneWriting by hand increases brain activity in recall tasks over taking notes on a tablet or smartphone. Additionally, those who write by hand on paper are 25% quicker at note-taking tasks than those who use digital technology.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·February 24, 2021·5 min readChanges in Writing Style Provide Clues to Group IdentityStudy reveals that group normative behavior is reflected in a person's writing style. Researchers say people alter their writing style to impress their audience and this may be based on the group identity that is influencing them at the time.Read More
Auditory NeuroscienceFeaturedPsychology·August 1, 2020·4 min readMany Writers Say They Can Actually Hear the Voices of Their Characters, Here’s Why60% of authors say they can hear their characters' voices as they write. Some even say they could enter into a dialogue with their characters, and sometimes their characters 'talk back'. Researchers explore why this phenomenon occurs.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·October 10, 2019·2 min readLinguists track impact of cognitive decline across three decades of one writer’s diariesReviewing over thirty years of diaries from a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, linguists discover how writing style changes as dementia progresses.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 6, 2018·4 min readDrawing is Better than Writing for Memory RetentionResearchers report older adults who take up drawing are better able to retain new information than those who write notes.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·September 28, 2018·4 min readNew Software Helps Analyze Writing DisabilitiesAccording to researchers, 10% of young children have trouble learning to write. EPFL researchers have developed new software that can analyze a child's writing disability and the cause with precision.Read More
FeaturedOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·June 12, 2018·7 min readPoet Robert Burns May Have Suffered From Bipolar DisorderResearchers examine the personal writings of Robert Burns, Scotland's national bard, and conclude he may have suffered from bipolar disorder.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·April 23, 2018·4 min readCulture Shapes the Brain: How Reading Changes the Way We ThinkA new study sheds light on how reading shapes our brain and can improve our memory. Those who are not practiced readers, researchers discovered, find it more difficult to distinguish how an object is oriented in space.Read More