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Wang L, Sheng A, Chang L, Zhou R. Improving fluid intelligence of children through working memory training: The role of inhibition control. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1025036. [PMID: 36507034 PMCID: PMC9732572 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1025036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Intelligence is strongly associated with working memory. Working memory training can improve fluid intelligence, but the underlying mechanism requires further investigation. Because inhibition control may play a key role in working memory training, this study investigated this process from an electrophysiological perspective. In total, 40 children aged 9 to 11 years were enrolled and randomly divided into a training group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The training group received 20 days of working memory training, whereas the control group did not receive any training. Before and after the training period, all participants were tested using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM), and electrophysiological indicators were recorded while they performed go/no-go and Stroop tasks. The results revealed that relative to the control group, the training group had significantly improved RSPM scores in the test conducted after their training. For the go/no-go tasks, the training group exhibited a significant decrease in N2 amplitude, a significant increase in P3 amplitude, a significant decrease in theta band energy, and an improvement in response inhibition ability. No significant change was observed for the Stroop task. Correlation analysis revealed that an improvement in individual response inhibition can positively predict an improvement in fluid intelligence. These results suggest that working memory training enhances the fluid intelligence of children by enhancing their response inhibition ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ang Sheng
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Renlai Zhou,
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Wu L, Xiao Y, Chen Y, Cheng G. Family socioeconomic status, subjective social status, and achievement motivation among Chinese college freshmen: A latent growth modeling approach. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 2021; 38:2141-2161. [DOI: 10.1177/02654075211008244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2024]
Abstract
This study’s objective was to examine direct and indirect relationships among family socioeconomic status, subjective social status, and achievement motivation within the first 3 months after college freshmen enrollment in China. A longitudinal dataset was collected over a 3-month period at four measurement points with 4-week intervals. A cluster sample of 1,983 college freshmen from the eastern, central, and western economic regions of China was surveyed. Latent growth modeling was conducted. The results indicated that achievement motivation decreased over time and was positively related to a decline in subjective social status. Mediation analyses demonstrated that, after controlling for sex and economic region, family socioeconomic status predicted the initial level of achievement motivation directly and indirectly through the initial level of subjective social status, and notably, the directions of these effects were opposite. Further, family socioeconomic status also significantly predicted the rate of change in achievement motivation indirectly through the initial level of subjective social status. These results highlight the longitudinal relationship between family socioeconomic status and achievement motivation via different pathways and have implications for improving college freshmen’s achievement motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wu
- Liaoning Normal University, China
| | - Youqin Xiao
- Guiyang Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, China
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Krebs C, Peter J, Wyss P, Brem AK, Klöppel S. Transcranial electrical stimulation improves cognitive training effects in healthy elderly adults with low cognitive performance. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1254-1263. [PMID: 33875372 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of transcranial direct (tDCS) or alternating current stimulation (tACS) in boosting cognitive training efficiency in healthy older adults. We further explored whether such improvements depend on general cognitive performance or age. METHODS In this randomized, sham-controlled study, 59 healthy elderly participants (mean age 71.7) were assigned to receive computer-based cognitive training (10 sessions, 50 min, twice weekly) combined with tDCS (2 mA), tACS (5 Hz), or sham stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (20 minutes). Cognitive performance was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a cognitive composite score derived from a broad neuropsychological test battery before and immediately after the intervention as well as at 6 and 12 months follow-ups. RESULTS Performance in the cognitive composite score improved significantly in all groups but was not further modulated by neurostimulation. Additional analyses revealed that participants with a low initial MoCA score (<1SD) improved significantly more in the tDCS than in the sham group. CONCLUSION TDCS increased the efficacy of cognitive training, but only in participants with initially low general cognitive performance. SIGNIFICANCE Cognitive interventions including tDCS should address baseline performance as modulating factor of cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Krebs
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Jessica Peter
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patric Wyss
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Neuropsychology, Lucerne Psychiatry, Lucerne, Switzerland; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Division of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Is Training with the N-Back Task More Effective Than with Other Tasks? N-Back vs. Dichotic Listening vs. Simple Listening. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-020-00202-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCognitive training most commonly uses computerized tasks that stimulate simultaneous cognitive processing in two modalities, such as a dual n-back task with visual and auditive stimuli, or on two receptive channels, such as a listening task with dichotically presented stimuli. The present study was designed to compare a dual n-back task and a dichotic listening (DL) task with an active control condition (a simple listening task) and a no-training control condition for their impact on cognitive performance, daily life memory, and mindfulness. One hundred thirty healthy adults aged 18–55 years were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. The training consisted of twenty 15-min sessions spread across 4 weeks. The results indicated some improvement on episodic memory tasks and a trend for enhanced performance in an untrained working memory (WM) span task following cognitive training relative to the no-training control group. However, the only differential training effects were found for the DL training in increasing choice reaction performance and a trend for self-reported mindfulness. Transfer to measures of fluid intelligence and memory in daily life did not emerge. Additionally, we found links between self-efficacy and n-back training performance and between emotion regulation and training motivation. Our results contribute to the field of WM training by demonstrating that our listening tasks are comparable in effect to a dual n-back task in slightly improving memory. The possibility of improving attentional control and mindfulness through dichotic listening training is promising and deserves further consideration.
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Jia L, Shan J, Xu G, Jin H. Influence of individual differences in working memory on the continued influence effect of misinformation. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1800019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Jia
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Center of Collaborative Innovation for Assessment and Promotion of Mental Health, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinlei Shan
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Center of Collaborative Innovation for Assessment and Promotion of Mental Health, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guiping Xu
- Institute of Applied Linguistics, College of Chinese Language and Culture, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hua Jin
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Center of Collaborative Innovation for Assessment and Promotion of Mental Health, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
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Capodieci A, Re AM, Fracca A, Borella E, Carretti B. The efficacy of a training that combines activities on working memory and metacognition: Transfer and maintenance effects in children with ADHD and typical development. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2019; 41:1074-1087. [PMID: 31401917 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2019.1651827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: It has been demonstrated that children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impairments in working memory (WM), and particularly its visuospatial component, responsible for academic underachievement. Furthermore, children with ADHD have difficulty in metacognition, and consequently use inappropriate strategies to control attention and impulsive behavior. The aim of the present study was to devise a training that combined individual exercises on visuospatial WM and group metacognitive activities capable of helping children with ADHD to ameliorate their performance in executive functioning tasks, and to contain their inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behavior. Method: A combined training that focused on visuospatial WM and metacognition was administered to 12 children with a diagnosis of ADHD and 15 typically-developing children. Tasks on executive functions and questionnaires for parents and teachers were administered before and at the end of the training, and one month after the post-test. Specific short- and long-term training gains and transfer effects were examined. Effects of the training on parents' and teachers' ratings were also considered. Results: Specific gains and transfer effects were found at the post-test and long-term assessments in both typically-developing children and those with ADHD. Parents' and teachers' ratings also indicated an improvement in the symptomatic behavior of children with ADHD. Conclusion: The results of this study have clinical and educational implications. A training that combines individual computerized visuospatial WM activities with metacognitive group reflection about useful strategies seems to produce promising results, helping children with ADHD to improve their executive functioning and behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Capodieci
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua , Padua , Italy
| | - Anna Maria Re
- Department of Developmental and Education Psychology, University of Padua , Padua , Italy
| | - Alessandra Fracca
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua , Padua , Italy
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua , Padua , Italy
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua , Padua , Italy
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Pergher V, Shalchy MA, Pahor A, Van Hulle MM, Jaeggi SM, Seitz AR. Divergent Research Methods Limit Understanding of Working Memory Training. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2019; 4:100-120. [PMID: 34355115 DOI: 10.1007/s41465-019-00134-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Working memory training has been a hot topic over the last decade. Although studies show benefits in trained and untrained tasks as a function of training, there is an ongoing debate on the efficacy of working memory training. There have been numerous meta-analyses put forth to the field, some finding overall broad transfer effects while others do not. However, discussion of this research typically overlooks specific qualities of the training and transfer tasks. As such, there has been next to no discussion in the literature on what training and transfer tasks features are likely to mediate training outcomes. To address this gap, here, we characterized the broad diversity of features employed in N-back training tasks and outcome measures in published working memory training studies. Extant meta-analyses have not taken into account the diversity of methodology at this level, primarily because there are too few studies using common methods to allow for a robust meta-analysis. We suggest that these limitations preclude strong conclusions from published data. In order to advance research on working memory training, and in particular, N-back training, more studies are needed that systematically compare training features and use common outcome measures to assess transfer effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pergher
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Anja Pahor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Marc M Van Hulle
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne M Jaeggi
- School of Education, School of Social Sciences, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aaron R Seitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.,School of Education, School of Social Sciences, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Linares R, Borella E, Lechuga MT, Carretti B, Pelegrina S. Nearest transfer effects of working memory training: A comparison of two programs focused on working memory updating. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211321. [PMID: 30759135 PMCID: PMC6373913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed the mechanisms involved in possible transfer effects for two different working memory updating (WMU) training programs administered to young adults and based on two updating paradigms: n-back and arithmetical updating. The influence of practice distribution on transfer effects was also explored by including two training regimens: massed and spaced practice. Performance on different WMU tasks more or less structurally similar to the tasks used in the training was assessed to analyze the nearest transfer effects. Near and far transfer effects were tested using complex working memory (WM) and fluid intelligence tasks. The results showed that the WMU training produced gains in only some of the WMU tasks structurally similar to those used in the training, not in those lacking the same structure, or in WM or fluid intelligence tasks. These limited nearest transfer effects suggest that gains could be due to the acquisition of a specific strategy appropriate for the task during the training rather than to any improvement in the updating process per se. Performance did not differ depending on the training regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Linares
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaen, Jaén, Spain
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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