title: Differential effects of reasoning and speed training in children.
abstract: The goal of this study was to determine whether intensive training can ameliorate cognitive skills in children. Children aged 7 to 9 from low socioeconomic backgrounds participated in one of two cognitive training programs for 60 minutes/day and 2 days/week, for a total of 8 weeks. Both training programs consisted of commercially available computerized and non-computerized games. Reasoning training emphasized planning and relational integration; speed training emphasized rapid visual detection and rapid motor responses. Standard assessments of reasoning ability - the Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (TONI-3) and cognitive speed (Coding B from WISC IV) - were administered to all children before and after training. Neither group was exposed to these standardized tests during training. Children in the reasoning group improved substantially on TONI (Cohen's d = 1.51), exhibiting an average increase of 10 points in Performance IQ, but did not improve on Coding. By contrast, children in the speed group improved substantially on Coding (d = 1.15), but did not improve on TONI. Counter to widespread belief, these results indicate that both fluid reasoning and processing speed are modifiable by training.
authors.affiliation: Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California at Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. a_mackey@berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Allyson P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Susanna S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Susan I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Silvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bunge
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004493:Education; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills; D011340:Problem Solving; D013997:Time Factors; D018910:Video Games