Reading: "A weakness of the brain: We want to finish the text"

Maryanne Wolf actually wanted to become a Rilke researcher. Then she realized how important reading is for children and their development and went into science. Today she is one of the most renowned reading researchers in the world.

ZEIT ONLINE: Ms. Wolf, when I read a text on my smartphone, I sometimes skip entire paragraphs. Has reading on a screen shortened my attention span?

Maryanne Wolf: Yes. The screen programs us to be distracted. This is an extraordinary change from the kind of immersive or in-depth reading we experience on paper or in a hardback book.

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