This doesn't mean that we're necessarily stuck reading at the same speed all the time. Without such knowledge, they often don't remember much of what they've read and aren't able to answer substantive questions about the text. Investigations show that these individuals generally already know a lot about the topic or content of what they have supposedly speed-read. While some may claim prodigious speed reading skills, these claims typically don't hold up when put to the test, according to the report. The biggest obstacle, science shows, isn't our vision but rather our ability to recognize words and process how they combine to make meaningful sentences.
The problem, according to Schotter and colleagues, is that eye movements account for no more than 10 percent of the overall time we spend reading, and eliminating the ability to go back and reread previous words and sentences tends to make overall comprehension worse, not better. Some speed reading technologies claim to offer an additional boost by eliminating the need to make eye movements by presenting words rapidly in the center of a computer screen or mobile device, with each new word replacing the previous word. "The available scientific evidence demonstrates that there is a trade-off between speed and accuracy - as readers spend less time on the material, they necessarily will have a poorer understanding of it," said Schotter.Īccording to the Association for Psychological Science, reading is a complex dance among various visual and mental processes, and research shows that skilled readers already read quickly, averaging 200 to 400 words per minute. SEE ALSO: 7 Practical Tips to Learn a New Language The report, published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, shows that that there are no magic shortcuts when it comes to reading more quickly while still fully understanding what we've read. "We wanted to take a close look at the science behind reading to help people make informed decisions about whether to believe the claims put forth by companies promoting speed reading technologies and training courses." "Speed reading training courses have been around for decades, and there has been a recent surge in the number of speed reading technologies that have been introduced to the consumer market," said Elizabeth Schotter, a psychological scientist at the University of California, San Diego and one of the authors of the report. Speed reading programs promise to greatly reduce the time it takes to read, but with great speed may come reduced comprehension, according to researchers.Īfter examining decades worth of research, scientists have found that many of the claims made by speed reading programs are largely too good to be true, and that that the only way to improve your reading speed and comprehension may be through good old-fashioned practice, according to a new report.
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