The Science of Reading

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The Science of Reading chronicles the extensive scientific research into reading practices, tracing its origins from German psychophysics in the late nineteenth century to its modern digital applications. Historian Adrian Johns examines the motivations behind this research, the technologies that facilitated it, and the far-reaching consequences of its implementation. Advocates of this scientific approach believed that a society's progress hinged on its population's reading abilities. Their efforts aimed to reconstruct mass education, significantly altering the childhood experiences of millions of American children. This scientific inquiry also sought to transform mass capitalism, leading to changes in workplace dynamics for countless adults following a national push for "reading efficiency." Furthermore, the implications of this research extended to national defense, influencing the training of servicemen and spies across various military contexts. By the close of the twentieth century, Johns posits that the scientific study of reading had profoundly influenced modern society, shaping its very fabric through deliberate application of research findings.