Comment by OracB7
3 days ago
Every time I have googled for it, the only method of working memory training that comes up is N-Back.
So I'm happy that the article mentions another method. Apart from playing "Simon" (yes that circular game with lights), those are the only two I know.
Anyone know of any other methods?
I am a bit confused by this approach.
From what I've read, the training isn't necessarily transferable. You just get better at these sorts of brain games, which doesn't necessarily mean your working memory is increasing.
Even while reading gwern's blog that seemed pretty positive of this kind of training, there was limited evidence that you shouldn't learn just a new instrument or language or new sort of math discipline.
Why do people keep thinking that "training" can improve working memory?
I agree that if you want to get better at specific things you should just do those things.
Usually when you "learn" something you improve your understanding of the domain, you start chunking things up into patterns and structures. This reduces your mental load and lets you use your "working memory" more effectively.
I think the intuition with say, "n-back" is that there's supposed to be no structure beyond the memory task, so any increase in performance _must_ be an improvement in some sort of generalised "working memory".
As I understand it people have shown that there is "transferance" between these various types of working-memory based brain games (i.e, getting good at one can improve your performance on others that you haven't done before). But no one has shown that getting good at (say) dual n-back produces a strong improvement in "real tasks" that aren't just memory games.
I can attest to the benefits of n-back. I've been doing it for a couple of years now, five days a week for 20-25 minutes. I've noticed a tangible positive difference in both my verbal fluency and my processing speed on days where I engage this protocol.
I've benefited so much from this protocol that I created a mini app just for myself (https://mind-workout.pages.dev/)* as I was unable to find a suitable app for mac. [On windows there 's Brain Workshop (https://brainworkshop.sourceforge.net/)
*This is a variation of the n-back task called triple n-back, which is much harder than dual n-back.
I will try your app while taking the L train to work for few weeks. Let's see what happens! Should be fun at least.
The evidence is mixed, but some studies (e.g. Jaeggi) did find transfer effects from n back training to fluid intelligence.
It only takes 40 mins a day for 8 weeks to test it out. Much less time than the commitment to learn a new language.
Having tried it, I wouldn't be surprised if the mixed results were due to improper adherence and misunderstanding of how n back works by some study participants. In other words, I think it's possible that results would be less mixed for someone who is already starting from a point of solid intelligence and who is driven enough to put in the hard,focused work to get to higher n back levels.
I wanted to look at one of the links in that page about memory training in adults.
It's ironic that the page didn't exist and I had to go to a backup from 2014 in archive.org to find it.
https://sharpbrains.com/blog/2008/04/22/working-memory-train...
https://web.archive.org/web/20140713110043/http://sharpbrain...
Yeah, I've always heard about N-Back too, but I've never actually tried it. I had no idea "Simon" was considered memory training