Translated by ChatGPT
Lianhe Zaobao 2026-10-28
Author Dr. Huang Pei (黄沛博士) is a Senior Scientist at the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential.
Author Dr. Rhea Tan (PhD and Medical Doctor)(陈彦颖博士/医生) is a Scientist at the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential.
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In responding to an attention economy that seeks to commodify our time and shape our behaviour, we should be careful not to apply the same logic to ourselves by evaluating every activity in terms of immediate, measurable returns. If a small reward can encourage people to pick up a book again, that is a worthwhile first step. However, the broader goal is to foster a culture in which reading becomes a meaningful part of life.
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In an age of information overload, social media, streaming platforms and shopping apps are constantly competing for our time and attention. In Singapore, children have to balance academic studies, tuition classes and extracurricular activities, while adults face long working hours. As time and attention are contested, it is becoming increasingly difficult to preserve quiet moments for reading. The 2024 National Reading Habits Survey found that 62% of adults said other activities prevented them from reading.
Against this backdrop, the National Library Board’s nationwide reading campaign, ReadSG, which aims to encourage Singaporeans to rediscover reading, comes at an opportune time. Participants who record 15 minutes of reading each day can earn virtual points redeemable for cash. The aim is to help integrate reading into everyday life once again.
ReadSG is an innovative attempt at behavioural change. But can it also help cultivate reading habits?
Research tells us: Reading has far-reaching effects
Decades of longitudinal research, including studies conducted at the A\*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential, show that the effects of everyday experiences often become apparent only years later. Reading is one such experience. Its benefits extend beyond academic performance and may also influence language abilities as well as social and emotional development.
The Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study found that more frequent parent-child shared reading at age three, together with reduced screen time during infancy, was associated with better emotional regulation at age seven. In addition, stronger language abilities at age two were associated with fewer depressive symptoms at age nine. The years separating these experiences from their outcomes demonstrate that the value of reading cannot always be measured by its immediate effects.
Furthermore, reading requires sustained attention, reflection and patience. In an environment centred on the rapid consumption of information, these qualities are becoming increasingly difficult to cultivate.
All this makes the question of incentives more complicated. If we simply want a particular behaviour to occur, external incentives can be highly effective. Rewarding children for helping with the laundry, encouraging people to return their trays after meals, or recycling beverage containers are all focused on outcomes and do not require us to inspire interest or enthusiasm.
But the goal of reading is not merely to increase the amount of time people spend reading. It is to cultivate a lasting relationship with reading that nurtures curiosity, imagination and critical thinking. Reading logs can show whether someone has read for 15 minutes, but they cannot tell us whether the person has encountered new perspectives, deepened their curiosity, or discovered a pleasure in reading that will accompany them throughout their life.
What we choose to measure often influences what we value. When rewards are tied to measurable behaviours, we naturally focus on the indicators that are easiest to calculate. Reading may gradually become a transaction: the focus shifts to how to increase the numbers being measured, rather than what we discover through reading. As a result, we may overlook what truly matters about reading.
What might be lost?
Reading in one's mother tongue provides a good example. The mother tongues of Singapore's various ethnic communities are an important part of linguistic and cultural heritage. Reading in one's mother tongue is more than a literacy activity; it is a way of passing stories, traditions and perspectives on the world from one generation to the next. However, the National Reading Habits Survey indicated that reading in mother tongues declined between 2018 and 2024.
The GUSTO study also provides reasons to value reading in one's mother tongue. We found that, compared with a reference group, children who engaged more frequently in shared reading in their mother tongue at four and a half years old showed differences in the development of brain pathways associated with language processing. They also demonstrated greater English oral fluency at age nine.
If we focus primarily on the duration or quantity of reading, readers may be more inclined to choose languages that they find easier to read. Books in their mother tongues could therefore become further marginalised. We should ensure that, while encouraging reading, we do not inadvertently sacrifice the space for reading in one's mother tongue within our multilingual culture.
ReadSG's cash rewards are just one part of broader efforts to promote reading. Their purpose is to bring books back into people's daily lives and encourage everyone to pick up a book again. Other initiatives can help turn initial participation into lasting habits. The National Library Board has introduced book clubs and reading programmes in all the official languages. The Little Company, a theatre company under Singapore Repertory Theatre, brings stories beyond the pages of books through stage performances. Workshops, storytelling sessions and parent-child shared reading can also make reading more social and accessible.
Importantly, cultivating a reading culture cannot rely solely on institutions. Parents can set an example at home, family members can share and exchange books, and communities can organise informal book-sharing spaces. Reading can also become a regular part of small pockets of free time, such as while commuting or waiting in queues. The aim of cultivating reading habits is not to squeeze yet another measurable pursuit into an already crowded schedule, but to make reading a natural part of life.
Ultimately, a reading culture cannot be established overnight. It requires collective efforts at multiple levels, from families to institutions, from communities to government policies. ReadSG can provide the initial impetus, while complementary programmes and a supportive social environment can build on this foundation to nurture a love of reading. This requires sustained national investment. However, as developmental researchers, we know that some of the most meaningful effects of reading become apparent only years later. Cultivating a reading culture can therefore be regarded as a long-term investment in Singapore's future.
As we seek to strengthen our reading culture, we must also ask ourselves what kind of readers we hope to nurture and how we can help develop them. What interventions can help children develop a genuine love of reading? When time is scarce, how can we help adults return to reading? What kinds of books, social experiences and environments can inspire people to keep reading? These questions deserve as much attention as calculations of reading time or virtual points.
In responding to an attention economy that seeks to commodify our time and shape our behaviour, we should be careful not to apply the same logic to ourselves by evaluating every activity in terms of immediate, measurable returns. Instead, we should seek to understand how reading habits develop and are sustained across different age groups, and test which approaches are most effective in turning the initial impetus into lasting habits.
If a small reward can encourage people to pick up a book again, that is a worthwhile first step. However, the broader goal is to foster a culture in which reading becomes a meaningful part of life.
The real test is whether we will still voluntarily pick up a book after the rewards have stopped.
Author Dr. Huang Pei is a Senior Scientist at the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential.
Author Dr. Rhea Tan is a Scientist at the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential.
Information source:
https://zb.sg/7jZD
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