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writing

·May 3, 2025·6 min read

Writing by Hand Helps Children Learn Letters Better

A new study reveals that young children learn letters and word structures more effectively through handwriting than typing. Researchers taught 5- to 6-year-olds unfamiliar letters and pseudowords using either manual writing or keyboards.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 29, 2025·4 min read

AI Writing Tools May Erase Cultural Nuances

New research shows that AI writing assistants can unintentionally homogenize global writing styles, pushing non-Western users to sound more American. In a study comparing Indian and American users, AI suggestions often promoted Western topics and writing patterns, diminishing Indian cultural expressions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 4, 2024·4 min read

AI Admissions Essays Align with Privileged Male Writing Patterns

Researchers analyzed AI-generated and human-written college admissions essays, finding that AI-generated essays resemble those written by male students from privileged backgrounds. AI essays tended to use longer words and exhibited less variety in writing style than human essays, particularly resembling essays from private school applicants. The study highlights concerns about the use of AI in crafting admissions essays, as AI may dilute a student’s authentic voice. Students are encouraged to use AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, their personal narrative in writing.

This shows a statue of a head and books.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 12, 2024·5 min read

AI Enhances Story Creativity but Risks Reducing Novelty

A new study shows that AI helps make stories more creative, engaging, and well-written, especially for less creative writers. The research found that AI assistance boosts novelty and usefulness, making stories more enjoyable and less boring. However, it also warns that widespread use of AI may reduce the diversity and uniqueness of creative works. The findings highlight both the potential and risks of using AI in creative writing.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 18, 2022·4 min read

Literacy Influences Understanding of Speech

The 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.

This shows a woman writing in a notebook

Featured Neuroscience

·July 8, 2021·5 min read

Handwriting Beats Typing and Watching Videos for Learning to Read

Adults 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.

Featured Psychology

·June 17, 2021·4 min read

Writing Can Improve Mental Health

From 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.

This shows a human hand handing over a lightbulb to a blue hand

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 25, 2021·3 min read

Aesthetically Appealing Art Increases Creative Inspiration

Viewing art you find aesthetically pleasing can help boost your personal creativity, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·March 19, 2021·6 min read

Stronger Brain Activity After Writing on Paper Than on Tablet or Smartphone

Writing 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.

This shows a woman writing in what looks like a journal

Featured Psychology

·February 24, 2021·5 min read

Changes in Writing Style Provide Clues to Group Identity

Study 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.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Psychology

·August 1, 2020·4 min read

Many Writers Say They Can Actually Hear the Voices of Their Characters, Here’s Why

60% 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.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 10, 2019·2 min read

Linguists track impact of cognitive decline across three decades of one writer’s diaries

Reviewing over thirty years of diaries from a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, linguists discover how writing style changes as dementia progresses.