Why ugly fonts and messy handwriting make it easier to remember what you've read
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 3:51 PM on 17th January 2011
Readers using electronic books are less likely to absorb what they have read because the information is presented in such simple form.
Devices such as the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader display text in such a clear, legible format that this encourages the brain to be ‘lazy’, making it more difficult to take things on board, research suggests.
The findings go against the conventional wisdom that legibility makes it easier for people to learn and remember information.
Texts in easy-to-read typefaces make it harder to recall information than if it is presented in less legible formats, research suggests
A study by Princeton University found that a significant number of those tested could recall more information when it was presented in unusual typefaces rarely used in textbooks.
The research suggests that introducing 'disfluency' - by making information superficially harder to understand - deepens the process of learning and encourages better retention.
The psychologists said information which has to be actively generated rather than 'passively acquired' from simple text is remembered longer and more accurately.
The study raises questions over how much fonts like Times New Roman and Arial, which are used in the majority of academic books, help readers revise for tests.
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