Here’s some revealing data about the changing nature of work published in The Economist: There are numerous studies showing the same trend towards non-routine cognitive work. . What can we infer from this? . If we make the reasonable assumption that the non-routine cognitive work demands involve complexity, problem solving and learning of new skills, we can infer that general intelligence (g) has high adaptive value in today’s economy – particularly fluid intelligence (Gf): . Fluid intelligence or fluid reasoning is the ability to think abstractly,
Recursion: The Concept Recursion is used in a variety of disciplines ranging from math, to computer science to linguistics. Recursion is one of the central ideas of computer science – where a function can call itself from within its own code, allowing for very powerful computation. Recursion in computer science – as in the recursive n-back – is a method of solving a problem where the solution depends on solutions to smaller instances of the same problem. What is recursion? Recursion occurs
A case for the critical role of interference control training in n-back training games.
Intelligence & IQ Defined A good cognitive science definition of general intelligence is: “. . . that facet of mind underlying our capacity to think, to solve novel problems, to reason and to have knowledge of the world.” M. Anderson This op-ed statement signed by fifty-two researchers in the field (ref) extends this idea to include learning and being ‘switched on’: “A very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think
When you train with i3 Mindware software, ensure that you maximize the ‘core dual n-back training’ effect by adopting the following principles. Minimize going into ‘automatic pilot’ in the game. Ensure you are always putting in effort and the task is always challenging and absorbing. Ensure that you work at successfully ignoring distracting information – focusing on only what is needed for target ‘matches’. When interference is high, focus and keep your accuracy levels high. In the continuous stream of information, ensure that
Can brain training increase intelligence? This question has sparked off an animated debate going on among scientists, journalists, and social media pundits. I’ve been involved in an extended Quora debate on this topic myself recently. Who hasn’t been involved in this debate? I want to take the opportunity to clarify some key definitions that help us evaluate the claims, and then take a closer look at the evidence. This article is targeted at an audience who want to invest some effort into understanding
Here I explain how the gated dual n-back (gated DNB) innovation is a critical advance on classic dual n-back training. Warning: some of the material is quite technical. Simply read up to the ‘Summary’ section at the beginning, and then skip down to the last Exec Summary paragraph, for the basic take-home. In my dual n-back post I reviewed the evidence for the IQ augmenting benefits of dual n-back training, taking a closer look at the Johns Hopkins University DNB study published this
Summary A study published this month in the prestigious journal Intelligence has shown: Cognitive training combined with exercise results in gains in fluid intelligence (visuospatial reasoning) – a key measure of IQ. Fitness only training did not bolster fluid intelligence performance. Individuals varied in benefits to fluid intelligence from mindfulness training. The research team concluded: “Because fluid intelligence test scores predict real-world outcomes across the lifespan, boosting intelligence ability via multi-modal intervention that is effective even in young, healthy adults is a
Not following through with your intentions or commitments is one of the major obstacles for effective brain training. For as long as training programs have been around to improve health or performance, we have been delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating with our training schedules. This article looks at some of the science behind what the ancient Greek philosophers called Akrasia – the failure of will and self-control where we act against our better judgement.
We know from an often skeptical press that many brain training apps do not work beyond practice effects specific to the games themselves. But it’s clear from the steady stream of peer-reviewed cognitive neuroscience research that some types of brain training are effective for increasing IQ and focus (ref). So what works? What brain training has so-called far-transfer to general cognitive abilities (as opposed to ‘narrow transfer’ to highly similar tasks