You probably have heard that society often perceives avid readers as the smart ones. Based on a popular belief, those who have a passion for reading tend to develop personally and intelligently, as it takes more discipline and demands more certain skills to fully absorb the information through books, especially when the language of the books gets more complex and difficult.
However, does it make them superior to TV watchers? Why does society respect reading more than watching movies or television? Aren’t we all learning? If so, what’s the difference between learning or getting information through books or television?
You also might have contemplated the distinction between watching a film adaptation of a book and reading the book itself, and whether you will read the book first before enjoying the movie or you will get additional knowledge by doing it the other way around.
Some argue it is the sensation that makes it different, while according to some others, it is the process that constructs the whole experience itself that matters. Yes, probably it is the case. Logically speaking, the amount of effort you put will be different when reading.
When you watch a movie or TV, the creators have made everything for you, all you have to do is to sit back and enjoy. They have built every single detail, bet it the characters, the looks, the settings, and the expressions; and whether you will get some information differently than others is down to your personal preferences and sometimes based on your experiences and perspectives.
While by reading books, your subconscious mind is ‘forced’ to create everything in your head based on your imagination, thus you would independently build your perspectives and the way you would get the information would be more subjective.
A research from Tohoku University that gained a group of a sample of 276 children aged between 5 to 18 years old with the frequency of watching TV ranging from zero to several hours per day. This study uses the tools such as MRI and questionnaires to investigate the predisposition. Furthermore, the study reveals that the children who watch TV more tend to have lower IQs. This can’t be solely translated into a statement that TV can damage the brain.
To complement and support the hypothesis, another study conducted by Emory University proves that even reading a fiction book for less than a week can improve the language receptivity and in general can sharpen the works of brain’s left temporal cortex whose function is closely related to object naming and language ability.
Reading is also useful to relax our stressed mind even compared to listening to music, according to a study by the University of Sussex. The study shows people need at least six minutes of reading thoroughly to reduce their stress level by more than two thirds. This is because when we read, we have to concentrate and this action eases our heart and muscles tensions, no matter what genre of book you read. So that, the reading can be seen as the escape from the stresses of your routines.