Type Slowly

Posted On 30/03/2026

By Nikki Wordsmith
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There is some evidence that typing more slowly can lead to better quality work in certain contexts, particularly for creative or analytical writing, where deeper thinking, word choice, and overall sophistication benefit from a slower pace.

Typing slowly using an emoji keyboard that assigns a unique visual emoji to each of the 26 letters of the English alphabet can help dyslexic people by turning abstract letter shapes — which often flip, reverse, or confuse — into memorable, concrete pictures that reduce visual stress and make word-building feel more fun and less pressured.

This visual association encourages deliberate, slower typing — giving extra time for processing and reflection—while boosting confidence and spelling accuracy without the usual rush of traditional keyboards.

However, it is important to bear in mind the evidence is mixed over all and depends on the type of task.

Faster typing often wins for productivity, efficiency, and basic output in routine work like data entry, emails, or note-taking where speed reduces cognitive interruptions.

Whereas as we are slowly discovering, the superpower of using visual and textual keyboards like The Emoji Alphabet Keyboard is that it transforms tricky abstract letters into memorable pictures and stories.

This helps dyslexic and neurodivergent people reduce confusion, spell with more confidence, enjoy typing instead of fighting it, and think more slowly and deeply about words without feeling rushed or pressured

Key Evidence Supporting Slower Typing for Better Quality and Understanding

A notable 2016 study by Medimorec and Risko from the University of Waterloo, Canada published in the British Journal of Psychology called “Effects of Disfluency in Writing” found that deliberately slowing down typing improved writing quality.

Researchers had participants write essays under normal conditions and then with one hand (forcing slower speed). The slower-typed work showed:

• More sophisticated vocabulary.
• Better word choice and phrasing.
• Overall higher-quality prose.

The explanation: Fast typing often leads people to grab the first word/phrase that comes to mind, while slowing down gives more time for an “internal word search,” allowing better selection and deeper reflection. They noted that overly fluent/fast typing can sometimes impair the writing process by rushing past thoughtful consideration.

Similar ideas appear in related research on cognitive processing:

• Slower transcription whether typing or handwriting can reduce “desirable difficulty” avoidance —meaning you engage more actively with ideas instead of transcribing verbatim.
• In some writing process studies, less fluent typists, who naturally pause more, show different editing behaviors and sometimes produce linguistically richer text, though this varies by skill level and task.

This aligns with broader findings that slower, more deliberate processes — like handwriting vs. typing — engage the brain more deeply for comprehension and memory — though most of that research compares handwriting to typing, not slow vs. fast typing directly.

Evidence Against Or For Faster Typing

Most productivity-focused studies point the other way:

• Faster typing reduces cognitive load on the mechanical act of input, freeing up mental resources for higher-level thinking, content quality, and creativity. Slow typing often interrupts thought flow, leading to frustration, more errors, or shallower output.
• Research on keyboarding fluency shows that above a certain “threshold” speed, people produce better, more efficient writing (longer texts, fewer transcription-related pauses, higher overall scores in assessments).
• In workplace or learning scenarios, slow typing correlates with lower productivity, more mental fatigue, and reduced work quality due to constant interruptions in idea formulation.

For example:

• Studies on students and professionals find that higher typing speeds link to better writing performance and reduced cognitive strain.
• Fast typists allocate more brainpower to ideas rather than mechanics.

Conclusion

• Yes, for creative and deeper writing such as essays, stories, and thoughtful analysis: Typing slowly can improve quality by encouraging better word choice and reflection — backed by specific experimental evidence.
• No, for most everyday work and learning: Faster, automatic typing tends to support higher productivity, accuracy over time, and better overall output by minimizing distractions from the keyboard itself.

• There’s no universal “better” it depends on your goal. If you’re aiming for deeper understanding or polished prose, try slowing down intentionally e.g. one-handed typing or mindful pauses. For volume or efficiency, build speed through practice.

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