Abstract
Cognitive 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.
Highlights
Attentional control is more important than ever in our modern everyday lives
The present study investigates whether working memory (WM) training is effective in a sample of adults at a range of ages and whether various cognitive training approaches lead to differential cognitive improvements
Critical future directions for the cognitive training field are to collect data with larger samples, to compare more diverse types of cognitive training tasks, to implement these in extended interventions, to systematically investigate transfer to constructlevel variables and changes in memory performance and well-being in daily life, and to identify neural changes following cognitive training. It is important for cognitive training research to compare variants of training tasks and shed light on the task features and mechanism behind training benefits
Summary
It enables us to focus on specific tasks in the midst of a plethora of information. The observation that the human brain is plastic and that cognitive processes become more efficient as a result of regular and focused mental exercise has encouraged researchers to examine the effects of targeted interventions, above all by means of computerized cognitive tasks (see, e.g., von Bastian and Oberauer, 2014). In the dual n-back task, trainees simultaneously see and hear a series of stimuli. They are required to indicate whether each stimulus is the same as that seen or heard n items back. The task is assumed to train our working memory (WM), which represents our ability to simultaneously store and process
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
