Psychology suggests if you still write things down on paper instead of your phone you aren't resisting progress - you've found something that works and are practicing the increasingly rare skill of not replacing it simply because something newer arrived, and that skill, applied consistently, turns out to predict a surprising number of other things about how you make decisions - Silicon Canals

"A 2024 study published in Frontiers in Psychology used high-density EEG to monitor brain activity while participants either wrote by hand or typed on a keyboard. The results were striking. Handwriting activated widespread connectivity across brain regions responsible for movement, vision, sensory processing, and memory. Typing produced minimal activity in those same areas."

"The researchers explained that handwriting is a more cognitively demanding process than typing. It forces the brain to engage in what's called deep encoding, where you're not just recording information but actively processing and reorganising it as you write."

"Scientific American reported on related findings, noting that handwriting engages a wider network of brain areas including those linked to creativity and critical thinking. The researchers suggested this is because handwriting forces a more flexible and personalised approach to information."

Research indicates that handwriting activates more brain regions than typing, promoting deeper cognitive processing. A 2024 study showed that handwriting engages areas responsible for movement, vision, and memory, while typing results in minimal brain activity. Handwriting encourages a personalized approach to information, requiring individuals to paraphrase and summarize as they write. This cognitive demand fosters creativity and critical thinking, suggesting that those who prefer handwriting may outperform those who rely on typing for information capture.

Read at Silicon Canals