Paper vs. Digital: What's the Difference?

Our brains might have a preference.

There’s a new PloS One paper looking at the brain differences between reading on paper versus digital devices.

I’ve no real preference when it comes to print or digital; I like a physical print copy of a book but tend to read research papers in a digital format. I read fiction almost exclusively in physical paper format.

Previous research tends to support reading on paper over ebooks, although a 2023 systematic literature review reveals the complexity of outcomes. While come studies report poorer comprehension outcomes when reading ebooks, others find little or no difference between the mediums. It does appear that prior comprehension skills and reading habits play a significant role.

This recent paper, from researchers at the University of Tokyo, takes a slightly different approach to previous investigations. At first sight, it seems quite straightforward, but on closer investigation, there’s quite a lot going on.

What I found particularly interesting was the choice of test material: Manga.

My first thought was, why manga? Not that I’ve anything against manga, or graphic novels generally. It just seemed a peculiar choice.

As it turns out, there’s a very logical reason for it, as the researchers explain.

Graphic novels, including manga, combine text with often rich pictorial information. The format is sequential and structured, with each frame detailing a specific narrative episode, requiring both spatial and temporal processing. This makes manga an ideal medium to study how different reading formats influence cognitive processing, such as comprehension and narrative integration (or binding).

Within the working memory paradigm, text-based information is processed via the phonological loop, images via the visuo-spatial sketchpad, and then bound together via the episodic buffer.

Manga, therefore, can be seen to adhere to the principles of dual coding theory, which has been found to enhance comprehension via the use of separate linguistic and visual channels.

So far, so good. But the big question remains: Does reading manga using a physical paper book employ the exact same processes as reading manga using an electronic tablet? And if so, what are the consequences of said differences?

This is obviously a useful question to ask, seeing as tablets are a popular alternative to print books. According to a 2025 poll by YouGov for the Guardian, 24% of respondents favour ebooks over physical books. A 2026 poll for Written Word Media found that 76% of readers regularly turned to ebooks. Around 70% of UK schools now use tablets, although how often and for what differs.

What did the study find?

While we might think the brain treats paper and ebooks the same, there are significant differences. For example, in the tablet condition, the researchers found excessive activation in the right lateral premotor cortex and inferior frontal gyrus, a region with a supportive function to linguistic integration processes. This suggests the brain was compensating for higher cognitive demands, according to the authors.

This compensation was seen in comprehension ability, where the paper condition resulted in reduced cognitive demands and faster response times to questions.

In other words, reading on a tablet places greater demands on the brain’s limited resources, that is, reading manga on a tablet increases cognitive load, resulting in slower response times when answering questions.

Why might this be the case?

Paper books utilise fixed spatial and structural cues (such as physical page layout and the ability to see an entire double-page spread at once). These cues help the reader associate new information with stable spatial anchors, facilitating better memory encoding and narrative comprehension. This layout aligns with Cognitive Load Theory, in that illustrations anchored to text should be presented on the same or opposite page.

Tablets, on the other hand, rely on instantaneous screen transitions which may disrupt the ‘unified reading experience’, increasing load and making it harder to consolidate information.

Paper books also preserve consistent visual and tactile cues: we know how the pages feel and the sensations we experience when flicking through them. This continuity is thought to enhance immersion in the storyline, helping readers better interpret the narrative, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters. Tablets, with their backlit screens and mechanical page transitions, may interrupt this flow and reduce engagement.

The study suggests that reading from tablets results in higher cognitive demands (increased cognitive load), evidenced by both longer response times and increased brain activations in regions associated with linguistic and narrative-structural integration. So tablets may require more effort to process and integrate information compared to paper books.

The study is certainly a valuable addition to the literature, particularly in terms of learning-related phenomenon including attention and cognitive load.

But should a single study influence how (and if) tablets are used in formal learning settings?

Wider research findings remain mixed. The brain is highly adaptable, of course, and there’s every possibility it will adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape.