scholarly journals Getting at Underlying Mechanisms of Far Transfer - the Mediating Role of Near Transfer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Pahor ◽  
Aaron R. Seitz ◽  
Susanne M. Jaeggi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Matrix Reasoning ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Meta Analyses

The extent that working memory training improves performance on untrained tasks is highly controversial. Here we address this controversy by testing the hypothesis that far transfer may depend upon near transfer using mediation models in three separate randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In all three RCTs, totaling 460 individuals, performance on untrained N-back tasks (near transfer) mediated transfer to Matrix Reasoning (a measure of fluid intelligence, representing far transfer). Untrained N-back performance also mediated transfer to a working memory composite (RCT 3). These findings support a model of N-back training in which transfer to untrained n-back tasks gates further transfer, at least in the case of working memory at the construct level, and matrix reasoning. This model can help adjudicate between the many studies and meta-analyses of working memory training that have provided mixed results but have not examined the relationship between near and far transfer on an individual differences level.

Can We Improve Fluid Intelligence With Training on Working Memory in Persons With Intellectual Disabilities?

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter J. Perrig ◽  
Marco Hollenstein ◽  
Stephan Oelhafen
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Hereditary Component ◽  
Remedial Intervention ◽  
Intellectual Deficiencies ◽  
The Relationship

Fluid intelligence is considered as the ability to reason and to solve problems that influence learning in everyday life in both professional and educational settings. Therefore, a possibility to improve this faculty in persons with intellectual disabilities would be of highest interest for education. However, still being debated, many scientist as well as practitioners will agree that it is extremely difficult for these persons to go beyond a certain level of reasoning and to improve their intellectual functioning. This goes together with the consideration of fluid intelligence as a trait with a strong hereditary component that is rather immune to training. Nevertheless, we present in this article the theoretical rationale for successful working memory training as a processual training and as a remedial intervention tool for persons with intellectual deficiencies. This rationale is based on a review of the research on the relationship between working memory and fluid intelligence and the research on far transfer effects in nontrained tasks after training in populations with varying mental capacity. Features and constraints of the training tasks are described that are considered mandatory for a working memory training to be efficient.

scholarly journals Working Memory Training Does Not Enhance Older Adults’ Cognitive Skills: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
N Deniz Aksayli ◽  
Kemal Semir ◽  
Yasuyuki Gondo ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Meta Analyses

In the last two decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to finding a way to enhance cognitive function by cognitive training. To date, the attempt to boost broad cognitive functions in the general population has failed. However, it is still possible that some cognitive training regimens exert a positive influence on specific populations, such as older adults. In this meta-analytic review, we investigated the effects of working memory (WM) training on older adults’ cognitive skills. Three robust-variance-estimation meta-analyses (N = 2,140, m = 43, and k = 698) were run to analyze the effects of the intervention on (a) the trained tasks, (b) near-transfer measures, and (c) far-transfer measures. While large effects were found for the trained tasks (g ̅ = 0.877), only modest (g ̅ = 0.274) and near-zero (g ̅ = 0.121) effects were obtained in the near-transfer and far-transfer meta-analyses, respectively. Publication-bias analysis provided adjusted estimates that were slightly lower. Moreover, when active control groups were implemented, the far-transfer effects were null (g ̅ = -0.008). Finally, the effects were highly consistent across studies (i.e., low or null true heterogeneity), especially in the near- and far-transfer models. While confirming the difficulty in obtaining transfer effects with cognitive training, these results corroborate recent empirical evidence suggesting that WM is not isomorphic with other fundamental cognitive skills such as fluid intelligence.

scholarly journals Does Far Transfer Exist? Negative Evidence From Chess, Music, and Working Memory Training

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 515-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Music Instruction ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Negative Evidence ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Meta Analyses

Chess masters and expert musicians appear to be, on average, more intelligent than the general population. Some researchers have thus claimed that playing chess or learning music enhances children’s cognitive abilities and academic attainment. We here present two meta-analyses assessing the effect of chess and music instruction on children’s cognitive and academic skills. A third meta-analysis evaluated the effects of working memory training—a cognitive skill correlated with music and chess expertise—on the same variables. The results show small to moderate effects. However, the effect sizes are inversely related to the quality of the experimental design (e.g., presence of active control groups). This pattern of results casts serious doubts on the effectiveness of chess, music, and working memory training. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings; extend the debate to other types of training such as spatial training, brain training, and video games; and conclude that far transfer of learning rarely occurs.

scholarly journals Near and Far Transfer in Cognitive Training: A Second-Order Meta- Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
N Deniz Aksayli ◽  
K Semir Tatlidil ◽  
Tomoko Tatsumi ◽  
Yasuyuki Gondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Meta Analyses

Theory building in science requires replication and integration of findings regarding a particular research question. Second-order meta-analysis (i.e., a meta-analysis of meta-analyses) offers a powerful tool for achieving this aim, and we use this technique to illuminate the controversial field of cognitive training. Recent replication attempts and large meta-analytic investigations have shown that the benefits of cognitive-training programs hardly go beyond the trained task and similar tasks. However, it is yet to be established whether the effects differ across cognitive-training programs and populations (children, adults, and older adults). We addressed this issue by using second-order meta-analysis. In Models 1 (k = 99) and 2 (k = 119), we investigated the impact of working-memory training on near-transfer (i.e., memory) and far-transfer (e.g., reasoning, speed, and language) measures, respectively, and whether it is mediated by the type of population. Model 3 (k = 233) extended Model 2 by adding six meta-analyses assessing the far-transfer effects of other cognitive-training programs (video-games, music, chess, and exergames). Model 1 showed that working-memory training does induce near transfer, and that the size of this effect is moderated by the type of population. By contrast, Models 2 and 3 highlighted that far-transfer effects are small or null. Crucially, when placebo effects and publication bias were controlled for, the overall effect size and true variance equaled zero. That is, no impact on far-transfer measures was observed regardless of the type of population and cognitive-training program. The lack of generalization of skills acquired by training is thus an invariant of human cognition.

scholarly journals Near and Far Transfer in Cognitive Training: A Second-Order Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
N. Deniz Aksayli ◽  
K. Semir Tatlidil ◽  
Tomoko Tatsumi ◽  
Yasuyuki Gondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Meta Analyses

Theory building in science requires replication and integration of findings regarding a particular research question. Second-order meta-analysis (i.e., a meta-analysis of meta-analyses) offers a powerful tool for achieving this aim, and we use this technique to illuminate the controversial field of cognitive training. Recent replication attempts and large meta-analytic investigations have shown that the benefits of cognitive-training programs hardly go beyond the trained task and similar tasks. However, it is yet to be established whether the effects differ across cognitive-training programs and populations (children, adults, and older adults). We addressed this issue by using second-order meta-analysis. In Models 1 (k = 99) and 2 (k = 119), we investigated the impact of working-memory training on near-transfer (i.e., memory) and far-transfer (e.g., reasoning, speed, and language) measures, respectively, and whether it is mediated by the type of population. Model 3 (k = 233) extended Model 2 by adding six meta-analyses assessing the far-transfer effects of other cognitive-training programs (video-games, music, chess, and exergames). Model 1 showed that working-memory training does induce near transfer, and that the size of this effect is moderated by the type of population. By contrast, Models 2 and 3 highlighted that far-transfer effects are small or null. Crucially, when placebo effects and publication bias were controlled for, the overall effect size and true variance equaled zero. That is, no impact on far-transfer measures was observed regardless of the type of population and cognitive-training program. The lack of generalization of skills acquired by training is thus an invariant of human cognition.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Working Memory Training Programs for Special Needs and Typically Developing Students in Arab Countries: A Meta-Analysis Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 41-73
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer

Working memory training programs have attracted great interest, with claims that the training programs can have diverse beneficial effects. The purpose of this article was to examine near- and far-transfer effects following working-memory training and identify the significant moderators related to these effects. Twenty- three research articles were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that near-transfer effects of verbal and visual-spatial working memory skills had effect sizes ranging from 3.22 to 2.99 respectively. Far-transfer effects of reading comprehension and academic achievement had effect sizes ranging from 3.17 to 2.43 respectively. Two significant moderators, namely, learner status (typically/special needs) and duration of training sessions(less 40 m/more 40 m) had an impact on near-transfer effects only.

The Effect of Working Memory Training on Cognitive Control and Reading Comprehension

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-paul Snijder
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Selection Of

!Note: The current paper is a thesis project. It has not been published, nor attempted to be published due to insufficient sample size! Abstract: Working memory (WM) training has seen a surge of popularity in recent years. There is evidence for near transfer of training, but findings regarding far transfer have been inconclusive. Furthermore, concerns have surfaced regarding the methodological design used in many WM training studies. This paper examines these concerns and presents an improved experimental design. This experiment then tests three hypotheses: (a) WM capacity will improve as a function of training, (b) WM training facilitates near and far transfer, and (c) changes in different cognitive abilities will be correlated. The cognitive abilities measured before and after training were cognitive control (Stroop and AX-CPT) and reading comprehension (Nelson Denny and a selection of the GRE passage comprehension). Cognitive control served as a near transfer measure and reading comprehension as a measure of far transfer. The results show that WM training is associated with an improvement in cognitive control but not in reading comprehension. This finding is consistent with recent meta-analyses and suggests that WM training can induce near transfer but not far transfer.

Working memory training in post-stroke aphasia: Near and far transfer effects

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 106077
Author(s):  
Maryam Nikravesh ◽  
Mahshid Aghajanzadeh ◽  
Saman Maroufizadeh ◽  
Arezoo Saffarian ◽  
Zahra Jafari
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Post Stroke

Working Memory Training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

2019 ◽  
pp. 105-130
Author(s):  
Jacky Au ◽  
Martin Buschkuehl ◽  
Susanne M. Jaeggi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain

The aim of this chapter is to contribute to the discussion of the cognitive neuroscience of brain stimulation. In doing so, the authors emphasize work from their own laboratory that focuses both on working memory training and transcranial direct current stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation is one of the most commonly used and extensively researched methods of transcranial electrical stimulation. The chapter focuses on implementation of transcranial direct current stimulation to enhance and inform research on working memory training, and not on the underlying mechanisms of transcranial direct current stimulation. Thus, while respecting the intricacies and unknowns of the inner workings of electrical stimulation on the brain, the chapter relies on the premise that transcranial direct current stimulation is able to directly affect the electrophysiological profile of the brain and provides evidence that this in turn can influence behavior given the right parameters.

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