title: Working Memory, Reasoning, and Task Switching Training: Transfer Effects, Limitations, and Great Expectations?
abstract: Although some studies have shown that cognitive training can produce improvements to untrained cognitive domains (far transfer), many others fail to show these effects, especially when it comes to improving fluid intelligence. The current study was designed to overcome several limitations of previous training studies by incorporating training expectancy assessments, an active control group, and "Mind Frontiers," a video game-based mobile program comprised of six adaptive, cognitively demanding training tasks that have been found to lead to increased scores in fluid intelligence (Gf) tests. We hypothesize that such integrated training may lead to broad improvements in cognitive abilities by targeting aspects of working memory, executive function, reasoning, and problem solving. Ninety participants completed 20 hour-and-a-half long training sessions over four to five weeks, 45 of whom played Mind Frontiers and 45 of whom completed visual search and change detection tasks (active control). After training, the Mind Frontiers group improved in working memory n-back tests, a composite measure of perceptual speed, and a composite measure of reaction time in reasoning tests. No training-related improvements were found in reasoning accuracy or other working memory tests, nor in composite measures of episodic memory, selective attention, divided attention, and multi-tasking. Perceived self-improvement in the tested abilities did not differ between groups. A general expectancy difference in problem-solving was observed between groups, but this perceived benefit did not correlate with training-related improvement. In summary, although these findings provide modest evidence regarding the efficacy of an integrated cognitive training program, more research is needed to determine the utility of Mind Frontiers as a cognitive training tool.
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.|Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Pauline L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Baniqued
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Courtney M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.|Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kranz
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.|Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Aldis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sipolins
authors.affiliation: Aptima, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dickens
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Aptima, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.affiliation: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.|Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult