Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

I don't know! I think you might be right, but my intuition tells me it's a little more than that. Other ideas:

* Is it a mind-body connection thing? Writing seems to involve a lot more fine motor control and muscle engagement than typing.

* Like other people my age, I didn't grow up typing; I started learning when I was around 10 years old. I learned to write much earlier than that. Could it be that neural connections tied to writing are somehow more effectively hooked up to learning new things?

* Is it a hand dominance thing? I write with one hand, but type with both.

* Is it that writing engages a different kind of language processing than typing? To me, the "voice" I use typing feels very similar to how I speak. Whereas when I'm physically writing, the "voice" I use feels very different. It's as if there's a different language center being worked.



You might find the book The Body has a Mind of its Own by Sandra Blakeslee and Matthew Blakeslee quite informative in this regard.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: