Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory: a meta-analysis

By Jacky Au, E. Sheehan, Nancy Tsai, G. Duncan, Martin Buschkuehl, Susanne M. Jaeggi. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2014

700 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Working memory (WM), the ability to store and manipulate information for short periods of time, is an important predictor of scholastic aptitude and a critical bottleneck underlying higher-order cognitive processes, including controlled attention and reasoning. Recent interventions targeting WM have suggested plasticity of the WM system by demonstrating improvements in both trained and untrained WM tasks. However, evidence on transfer of improved WM into more general cognitive domains such as fluid intelligence (Gf) has been more equivocal. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis focusing on one specific training program, n-back. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for all n-back training studies with Gf outcome measures, a control group, and healthy participants between 18 and 50 years of age. In total, we included 20 studies in our analyses that met our criteria and found a small but significant positive effect of n-back training on improving Gf. Several factors that moderate this transfer are identified and discussed. We conclude that short-term cognitive training on the order of weeks can result in beneficial effects in important cognitive functions as measured by laboratory tests.

Subfields: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/669a9f1a189a86de5adae42b90991148d90e53fc

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In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Citations in the corpus

Working memory and language learning: A review (2017, background): “…Recently, direct training of working memory has come under considerable scrutiny with the publication of several meta-analyses reporting consistent post-training effects in near transfer to similar tasks only (e.g. Melby-Lervåg and Hulme, 2013; Schwaighofer et al., 2015; but see Au et al., 2015).”
Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering (2013, background): “…assumption that mental aptitude is largely fixed across the life span, recent work has indicated that extensive practice on tests of WMC can generalize to improvements in IQ (Jaeggi et al., 2008) and that IQ can either improve or deteriorate throughout adolescence (Ramsden et al., 2011).”
Adaptive n-back training does not improve fluid intelligence at the construct level: Gains on individual tests suggest that training may enhance visuospatial processing (2013, methodology): “For that purpose, here we administered several diverse intelligence and cognitive measures (threemeasures for each psychological factor) before and after completing a challenging cognitive training program based on the adaptive n-back dual task firstly proposed by Jaeggi et al. (2008). The main pred”
Investigating the Unique Predictors of Word-Problem Solving Using Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling (2020, background): “Cognitive skills refer to those general mental capacities thatmake it possible for us to learn involving perception, attention, working memory, and nonverbal reasoning (Gottfredson 1997; Jaeggi et al. 2008).”
The Neuroscience of Intelligence (2016, background): “Their analysis supported a 4-point IQ increase due to n-back training (Au et al., 2015).”
Working memory training and interpreting interactions in intelligence interventions (2015, methodology): “…that there is limited evidence for so-called far transfer to outcomes that are different from the practiced WM training materials (Lampit, Hallock, & Valenzuela, 2014; Melby-Lervåg & Hulme, 2013; Rapport, Orban, Kofler, & Friedman, 2013; but see Au et al., 2014; Karbach & Verhaeghen, 2014).”
Do “Brain-Training” Programs Work? (2016, methodology): “Several recent meta-analyses have grappled with the conflicting evidence that complex span training can enhance Gf (Au et al., 2014; Karbach & Verhaeghen, 2014; Melby-Lervåg & Hulme, 2013), but they have drawn conflicting conclusions.”
Improving Methodological Standards in Behavioral Interventions for Cognitive Enhancement (2019, background): “…to processing speed, working memory, perceptual abilities, attention, and general intelligence, can be improved by dedicated behavioral training (Au et al. 2015; Ball et al. 2002; Bediou et al. 2018; Deveau et al. 2014a; Karbach and Unger 2014; Kramer et al. 1995; Schmiedek et al.…”
Limitations of PET-PEESE and Other Meta-Analysis Methods (2017, background): “Nonetheless, these sample sizes are found in at least one psychological meta-analysis on the transfer of working memory to fluid intelligence (Au et al., 2015; Boggs & Lasecki, 2015).”
Conclusions about Interventions, Programs, and Approaches for Improving Executive Functions that appear Justified and those that, despite much hype, do not (2015, methodology): “Au et al. (2015) add another interesting dimension into the mix. hey found an inverse relationship between the size of the extrinsic eward for participating in training (i.e., the amount of money subects were offered for participating) and how much N-back training mproved reasoning.”