Cognitive Priming and Cognitive Training: Immediate and Far Transfer to Academic Skills in Children.
Cognitive operations are supported by dynamically reconfiguring neural systems that integrate processing components widely distributed throughout the brain. The inter-neuronal connections that constitute these systems are powerfully shaped by environmental input. We evaluated the ability of computer-presented brain training games done in school to harness this neuroplastic potential and improve learning in an overall study sample of 583 second-grade children. Doing a 5-minute brain-training game immediately before math or reading curricular content games increased performance on the curricular content games. Doing three 20-minute brain training sessions per week for four months increased gains on school-administered math and reading achievement tests compared to control classes tested at the same times without intervening brain training. These results provide evidence of cognitive priming with immediate effects on learning, and longer-term brain training with far-transfer or generalized effects on academic achievement.
Department of Psychiatry Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St, New Haven, CT 05619, USA.
Bruce E
BE
Wexler
National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, CRESST/UCLA, 300 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA, 90095USA.
Markus
M
Iseli
National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, CRESST/UCLA, 300 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA, 90095USA.
Seth
S
Leon
C8 Sciences, 5 Science Park, New Haven, CT 06511, 970-371-1795, USA.
William
W
Zaggle
Department of Statistics, Yale University, 24 Hilhouse Ave, New Haven CT, 06511, USA.
Cynthia
C
Rush
New Initiatives, 6 Cedar Lane, Cedarhurst, NY 11516, 917-584-0137, USA.
Annette
A
Goodman
Department of Psychiatry Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St, New Haven, CT 05619, USA.
A
A
Esat Imal
National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, CRESST/UCLA, 300 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA, 90095USA.
Emily
E
Bo
D000076363:Academic Success; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011932:Reading; D014163:Transfer, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D018910:Video Games