According to a study cited by Publisher’s Weekly, " A new survey of adult reading habits found that the percentage of people who sit down with a book for pleasure on any given day has reached a 20-year low, dipping to 16% in 2023."
Why do you suppose that is?
That is hard to believe and sad.
Maybe all the social media is the cause??
Agree with Elizabeth that social media is a cause. My daughter is an elementary music teacher and says kids today have an almost nonexistent attention span because of electronics. I also think that education’s laser focus on STEM has come close to destroying the humanities and thus a well rounded education. My daughter is 42 and she recalls the STEM push starting when she was in high school. So sad!
I agree and what a shame it is!
Agreeing with the others that social media is probably the cause. So sad!
Another big question: what can be done to reverse the situation?
It makes me so sad (for them) that none of my five grandchildren (7-14 yo) are dedicated readers. There is hope for the older one who comes and goes with his reading habits and the youngest who is still very enthusiastic as she continues to read more. Fingers crossed. Yes, social media is the major distraction and I also agree on the lack of attention span for almost anything. They do seem to focus well on their non-academic, physical interests though—dance, tennis, gymastics, soccer, cross country. All these activities take focus and practice so I am hopeful that might aid in their mental development as well.
I wish there were more people like Dolly Parton who gives books to children.
Joining a book club is another idea for increasing reading and socializing. The survey is distressing.
I think that might not be accurate. I’m sure it doesn’t track audio books or maybe even ebook readers
I, too, wondered how reading habits was defined. Magazines? Non-fiction? Ebooks?
I also read this, Kim, and was so surprised by this. I wasn’t sure if they were referring to an actual book or including digital formats too.
Not sure why when there are libraries, Libby, Hoopla, and other apps for books. So many people are on media platforms scrolling and going down the rabbit hole. The price to buy books have gone up so much, but there are so many ways to read free.
This made me feel so sad. I suppose electronics are responsible as people scroll their phones instead of picking up a book. My granddaughter is just starting to teach third grade and we talked about kids not picking up a book. I do see many children going to our local library for programs. And there was even a middle school book club this summer at the library with a dozen kids. If we talk about reading and our kids see us reading maybe we can change this trend.
I think there are multiple factors with social media having a significant impact. However, another consideration is the failure of parents to read to young children, take them to the library, and demonstrate the joy of reading by example.
Computer gaming also distracts people from books and other activities that require one to leave their electronics behind.
Additionally, when I was in elementary school students were assigned books that were interesting to kids and we read out loud in front of the class. Public primary school education needs to return to basics: reading / writing and arithmetic. Learning to read is the core formula for success in life unless you have a trust fund. No child should be promoted unless he/she/ they can read at grade level
The Harry Potter books helped to engage young people in reading.
With regard to working adults, I can say from experience that after commuting several hours, working, fixing dinner, doing laundry, it can be so tempting just to turn on the TV and zone out.
I think the reasons for the dip in adult reading habits are many, chief among them is that children are in many instances given a phone before they are given a book to read. Unfortunately, it seems that even if a parent is inclined to read to their child, the draw of electronics is a force too strong to overcome the printed word. Even if the child is reading on a device, the temptation to pull away from what they are reading I fear is too great. I lament the fact that they are missing out on the tactile sensation of turning the page.
I agree that social media definitely has played a big role in less reading for pleasure as well as it seems like everyone is over scheduled and has minimal free time anymore…its really sad
I was shocked at these findings because I feel like every “friend” I have reads. I can’t imagine a day without reading a book in my hand, (not on Kindle or any other device). I agree with the possible reasons why this report may be “true” that others have written, but I also suspect that all forms in which people read were not accounted for.
Barbara, I am “glad” to see that I am not the only one with grandkids (12 & 13) who are not avid readers. Though they do read, they spend more time on their iPads. Last month I spent almost two weeks with them and the 13 yo and I read the same middle grade book together. We agreed to complete 3-4 chapters a day at our own pace and then in the evening we would discuss it. Not only did we discuss the events in the book, but also how it may have related to things my granddaughter was experiencing or had an opinion about. It was a great experience! The book is Maeve Mulvaney Has Had Enough by Kelly Mangan. I highly recommend it!!
I think that it may also be that there are a lot more demands on peoples’ time than there used to be. It seems like kids are constantly involved with sports and other school programs - my friend is always whisking her child off to something. The line between work and home has blurred for many, too; I know when I was a worker-bee I felt like I was always “on” - constantly checking and responding to email, handling problems at all hours, etc. So I can’t really blame anyone for doing something mindless during their limited downtime.
That sounds like a great experience. I have been reading with my 12 yo this summer. She has sdhd which challenges her reading abilities. So often her mother or I will read aloud to get her going. She will always do her school reading, she just doesn’t look to reading as a leisure activity. In her case I get it. Even audio is difficult for her. But the others do not have those challenges. All started out as great readers who enjoyed sharing about what they were reading, now not so much. The screen is a siren call! Of course their households have limitations on screen time, but if not on a screen they are active (great!). When they relax, it’s a passive experience. I have heard from others that some kids actually turn back to reading in high school…one can hope.
That saddens me… We live in a society where downtime is often seen as laziness and unproductive. The simple act of sitting down, calming down, and reading anything is so beneficial to a person’s mental and physical health. I wish as a society we could recognize that.
This really surprised me, but I guess it shouldn’t have. Lately,I seen a lot of negativity towards libraries and funding libraries. Rural areas to poor to have access to books or libraries are not helping either. It breaks my heart. Our leaders are not doing much to help either. Just my opinion.