Scientists say this everyday habit may help your brain learn better

Recent studies from researchers in both the United States and Norway have found that handwriting activates the brain differently from typing on a keyboard, potentially helping people process and retain information more effectively. But while the findings are compelling, experts also caution that the viral claims spreading online often go further than the science itself.

Can writing by hand help you learn?

One of the most discussed studies in recent months came from Norwegian neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer and her colleagues at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Published in Frontiers’s journal Frontiers in Psychology in 2024, the study examined how the brain responds during handwriting compared to typing.

Researchers fitted university students with high-density EEG caps capable of measuring electrical activity across the brain while participants either wrote words by hand using a digital pen or typed the same words on a keyboard.

The results showed significantly more complex connectivity between different regions of the brain during handwriting tasks. According to the researchers, the coordinated activity involved areas linked to movement, vision, sensory processing and memory formation.

“We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard,” van der Meer said in comments released alongside the study.

Why does handwriting affect the brain differently

Scientists believe this may happen because handwriting is a far more physically demanding process than typing. Every letter requires a slightly different series of movements involving the fingers, wrist and visual system. Typing, by contrast, often relies on repetitive key presses that require less varied motor coordination.

That does not mean typing is “bad for the brain,” despite what some viral social media posts claim.

The study itself did not conclude that typing shuts the brain down or prevents learning. Instead, researchers argued that handwriting may offer additional benefits for memory encoding and learning because of the richer sensorimotor activity involved.

The Norwegian findings also align with earlier research from the United States that examined how students take notes during lectures.

In a widely cited 2014 study, researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer compared students taking notes by hand with others using laptops. The researchers found that laptop users tended to record lectures almost word for word, while students writing by hand summarized information in their own words. The different approaches appeared to make a difference.

Students who took handwritten notes generally performed better on conceptual questions requiring understanding and interpretation rather than simple factual recall. Researchers suggested the slower pace of handwriting may force students to actively process information instead of transcribing it mechanically.

However, experts caution that the issue is more nuanced than “handwriting good, typing bad.”

Later replication studies produced mixed results, with some researchers finding smaller differences between typing and handwriting than the original studies suggested. Other studies found that typed notes could still be highly effective when students actively summarized information rather than copying it verbatim.

In other words, the biggest factor may not simply be the tool itself, but how people use it.

What do experts recommend about handwriting or typing?

Educational researchers increasingly believe that active engagement is the key. Whether someone is handwriting or typing, processing ideas, selecting important points and rephrasing information appear to improve learning more than passive transcription.

Still, many scientists believe handwriting retains unique cognitive advantages, particularly for children learning to read and write. Some researchers argue that physically forming letters helps reinforce recognition and memory in ways touchscreen typing may not fully replicate.

The broader message emerging from the research is not that people should throw away their laptops. Digital tools remain faster, more searchable and more convenient for many forms of work and study.

But for tasks involving deep learning, brainstorming or remembering complex ideas, picking up a pen may still give the brain an edge.

See also: If you write your shopping list on paper instead of using your phone, psychology says you have these distinctive traits

The one skill that Gen Z is losing, one that humans have had for 5,500 years

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.