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World experts on games to improve the functioning of the brain It only takes a few minutes of surfing the web to find out that there is a whole industry of "cognitive training", commonly known as "brain training". Companies offering different types of games (online Sudoku, Sudoku puzzles) ensure that they increase cognitive abilities, improve memory and protect against degeneration associated with aging. People using this type of technique will be unpleasantly surprised by a statement published by Stanford University and the Institute of Human Development.
Max Planck in Berlin. The document was signed by some 70 leading researchers in the field of psychology and neurology. Scientists from US, Canadian, Swedish, German, Swiss, Dutch and British universities conclude that the undersigned agree with the notion that specialist literature does not support the conclusion that such 'brain games' alter the functioning of neurons in a way that would improve cognitive abilities in everyday life or that they slow down the deterioration of cognitive abilities or protect against disease.
The signatories, including academics from the world's leading universities, note that companies selling such services often refer to various scientific papers, but in reality these papers are very loosely related to the claims made by these companies.
Various techniques for improving intelligence gained popularity at the beginning of this century. 2008 was a turning point for them, when Susanne Jaeggi's research was published. She was then a research fellow at the University of Michigan, and is now a professor at the University of California, Irvine. Jaeggi's team conducted an experiment in which - during a short training session - it was shown that it was possible to significantly improve human intelligence. The improvement was so great that it could affect your whole life. Jaegia's research has received enormous publicity.
Over the last 6 years, they have been cited in professional literature over 800 times. Some experts, such as Robert Sternberg, author of more than 1,500 publications on intelligence, found them extremely important.
Others were not entirely convinced. The scale of progress was the most surprising. Earlier studies have shown that it takes years of intense training to improve your intelligence by single points. Meanwhile, Jaeggi and her team achieved a 6-point IQ boost in just a few hours. The research has found numerous errors that make it difficult to interpret its results. Attempts to repeat the experiment failed. The meta-analyzes of many experiments do not support the conclusion that Jaeggi obtained the correct results.
Nevertheless, the scientist's research was widely echoed and supported the development of the "cognitive training" industry.
The current scientific knowledge, however, does not give grounds to believe companies selling various types of games that are to train the brain. The more that science has identified factors that contribute to better brain development. One of them is physical activity. As demonstrated, among others, by Arthur Kramer from the University of Illinois, aerobic exercise improves cognitive functioning. Another type of brain-boosting activity is learning new things, whether it's learning to play the piano or cooking a new dish.
Various types of gadgets sold by the industry to improve our functioning are not cheap. This market will be worth $ 1.3 billion this year.
Therefore, it is worth considering whether we trust companies selling cognitive games, or scientists from Harvard, Oxford, Karolinska Institutet or the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The more so as Professor Suzanne Jaeggi is also among the signatories of the said document.
Useful Resources:
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