Comments on: Watching and Reading. Same Difference http://www.librarystuff.net/2007/11/19/watching-and-reading-same-difference/ The library weblog dedicated to resources for keeping current and professional development Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:33:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CarynW http://www.librarystuff.net/2007/11/19/watching-and-reading-same-difference/comment-page-1/#comment-15441 CarynW Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:05:00 +0000 http://www.librarystuff.net/2007/11/19/watching-and-reading-same-difference/#comment-15441 I don't think so, because watching TV engages your brain differently than reading. It's easier to do something else, or be distracted, while watching TV than while reading; it's also possible to retain a memory that is made up of not just the program you're actually watching, but of commercials or other programs surfed to during commercials, and think all of the information you're remembering came from the show. On the other hand, if you are a visual/graphic or an auditory/graphic learner, as opposed to a visual/verbal learner (my own terms - I don't know what the official terms are), the graphic and audio content of TV might engage you better than the silent all-verbal content of a book. That said, though, it's still not the same. I don’t think so, because watching TV engages your brain differently than reading. It’s easier to do something else, or be distracted, while watching TV than while reading; it’s also possible to retain a memory that is made up of not just the program you’re actually watching, but of commercials or other programs surfed to during commercials, and think all of the information you’re remembering came from the show.

On the other hand, if you are a visual/graphic or an auditory/graphic learner, as opposed to a visual/verbal learner (my own terms – I don’t know what the official terms are), the graphic and audio content of TV might engage you better than the silent all-verbal content of a book. That said, though, it’s still not the same.

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