# Any research about children perceiving information on screen vs on paper? **URL:** \ **Category:** Children & teens\ **Created:** [December 1, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084 "2018-12-01T15:20:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kingcantsing](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/kingcantsing/32/669_2.png) [@kingcantsing](https://community.humanetech.com/u/kingcantsing)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/1 "2018-12-01T15:20:26Z")
Hi there, I am currently doing an MA in education and am interested in looking at how children perceive information on screens versus on paper and whether they have an inherent bias towards one medium being preferable over the other. Does anyone know of any research, journals, books etc. that may deal with this or related topics? Your recommendations would be greatly appreicated, along with your thoughts on the topic. ---
**Author:** ![healthyswimmer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/healthyswimmer/32/229_2.png) [@healthyswimmer](https://community.humanetech.com/u/healthyswimmer)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2018, 6:03am UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/3 "2018-12-02T06:03:39Z")
I can’t point to any research off hand but do know over time kids/adults do eventually (in what time frame?) prefer screens due to the dopamine surge which occurs in the brain- this mimics a sugar high or cocaine. After reading books on screens everyday at school for 2 weeks my 3rd grader daughter at the time said… what is the point of reading a book? How much can a person read anyways. So I yanked the screens at school- became very unpopular in this area. But within 2 weeks my daughter was voraciously devouring books again like before. I know all kids are affected by screens differently. My daughter is very sensitive to her environment in other ways too. Just found this article so I’ll add it in with my edit… Towards the middle or last 2/3 it mentions dopamine and pleasure Center if the brain in developing brains. > **[What Screen Time Can Really Do to Kids' Brains](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/behind-online-behavior/201604/what-screen-time-can-really-do-kids-brains)** > > Too much at the worst possible age may have negative consequences. ---
**Author:** ![patm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/patm/32/3125_2.png) [@patm](https://community.humanetech.com/u/patm)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2018, 7:38am UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/4 "2018-12-02T07:38:13Z")
Best and most timely book on this subject is probably [Maryanne Wolf’s _Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World._](https://www.maryannewolf.com/reader-come-home-1/) ---
**Author:** ![aschrijver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/aschrijver/32/1498_2.png) [@aschrijver](https://community.humanetech.com/u/aschrijver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2018, 8:37am UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/5 "2018-12-02T08:37:54Z")
Note that we have had a bunch of discussions on this topic before. Also looking at these is a great way to find other members that are on to this topic. You can use the Search function of the forum to finds these. Some reference (probably there are more): - [Screen time usage - Are there fact based guidelines?](http://community.humanetech.com/t/screen-time-usage-are-there-fact-based-guidelines/2615) - [Reduced use of the internet and screens](http://community.humanetech.com/t/reduced-use-of-the-internet-and-screens/1947) - [Children’s Screentime Action Network Conference](http://community.humanetech.com/t/children-s-screentime-action-network-conference/1653) Also, I just retweeted this about the subject: [https://twitter.com/Screensandkids/status/1067536414944964608](https://twitter.com/Screensandkids/status/1067536414944964608) ---
**Author:** ![DrM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@DrM](https://community.humanetech.com/u/DrM)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/6 "2018-12-02T20:07:04Z")
For a starting point, try this: > **[The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/)** > > E-readers and tablets are becoming more popular as such technologies improve, but research suggests that reading on paper still boasts unique advantages You might be able to link to sources and some of the ongoing work in this area. Much will depend on the ages of the children you are studying. ---
**Author:** ![aschrijver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/aschrijver/32/1498_2.png) [@aschrijver](https://community.humanetech.com/u/aschrijver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 10:14am UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/7 "2018-12-12T10:14:25Z")
I found this article via Twitter [@Screensandkids](https://twitter.com/Screensandkids/status/1072483285824126977): > Here’s the background information on the NIH study that `@andersoncooper` & `@60minutes` covered. Negative health impacts of classroom screens needs coverage too. MD passed new law protecting students. [https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/news-releases/2018/12/abcd-study-completes-enrollment-announces-opportunities-scientific-engagement](https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/news-releases/2018/12/abcd-study-completes-enrollment-announces-opportunities-scientific-engagement) This is a very broad study, not only focusing on screen time, but it has a reference to a study exclusively focused on that topic too: [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811918320123?via%3Dihub](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811918320123?via%3Dihub) > # Highlights > > - Screen media activity is a common recreational activity in children and adolescents. > - The manuscript focuses on how screen media activity is related to structural brain characteristics. > - Structural correlation networks were identified supporting the maturational coupling hypothesis. > - Some networks were associated with for externalizing psychopathology, fluid and crystallized intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![aschrijver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/aschrijver/32/1498_2.png) [@aschrijver](https://community.humanetech.com/u/aschrijver)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 10:05am UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/8 "2019-03-03T10:05:27Z")
Sogeti Labs published a very interesting paper that analyses the current generation of young people and how they cope with the digital onslaught of information. > **[New Report Alert: The Synthetic Generation - Sogeti Labs](https://labs.sogeti.com/new-report-synthetic-generation/)** > > The latest research report in the Digital Happiness series focuses on the rise of a new generation of influencers – post millennial young people for whom the concept of digital ‘transformation’ is alien. The 52-page PDF is free to download under CC-BY-SA license. An important paper and references to more good stuff here. ---
**Author:** ![JuanBagby](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.humanetech.com/juanbagby/32/1728_2.png) [@JuanBagby](https://community.humanetech.com/u/JuanBagby)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.humanetech.com/t/any-research-about-children-perceiving-information-on-screen-vs-on-paper/3084/9 "2019-11-12T15:00:27Z")
I saw another alternative here which is the eye-friendly E Ink display that some e-readers and second phone have. Is this really a good non-digital / blue-light alternative? Thanks in advance