The more you read tabloids, the more your vocabulary... shrinks.

On November 6, BBC cited research results from the Institute of Education, University of London, saying that people who read tabloid newspapers have lower vocabulary than those who do not read newspapers.

The above results were given by the Institute of Education at the University of London after testing the vocabulary and reading habits of 9,400 British people born in 1970 at the ages of 10, 16 and 42.

What people read is more important than how long they read it. Illustration photo

The researchers also analyzed information about reading habits. At age 42, those who had read as children had an average vocabulary test score of 67%, much higher than those who had read less as children, who scored only 51%.

The data analysis also showed that what people read is just as important, if not more so, than how long they read.

Newspaper readers improved their vocabulary more than non-newspaper readers. However, tabloid readers made less progress, having lower vocabularies than non-newspaper readers.

Professor Alice Sullivan said the findings were consistent with previous research showing that "the presence of tabloid newspapers in the household during childhood is associated with poorer cognitive development at age 16".

The report also said: "People who read 'intellectual' literature increase their vocabulary faster than people who read 'average' literature, and people who read 'low' literature do not progress as well as people who have the habit of reading."

According to Infonet