Original Article
A brain-scientific analysis of the effects of picture-book storytelling by means of NIRS
In comparison with silent reading and reading aloud
2015 Volume 56 Issue 2 Pages 89-100
Details
2015 Volume 56 Issue 2 Pages 89-100
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of picture-book storytelling in terms of brain science. The adopted method is to measure the brain activities associated with reading picture books silently, reading them aloud, and listening to them read by others, by means of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and compare and analyze them with reference to previous studies. The measured point is the bilateral prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex has the management function of doing things rationally. The task of reading a picture book aloud increased blood flow, while the task of listening to reading of a picture book decreased it. From the results and independent reports that listening to a picture book reading has a relaxing effect, and looking at pleasant pictures reduces blood flow, it is considered that while passively listening to a picture book reading, one feels “comfort”. That is, brain-scientifically, picture-book storytelling has been found to have the potential for “healing”.
