Toward a Science of Effective Cognitive Training

Abstract

A long-standing question in the behavioral sciences is whether cognitive functions can be improved through dedicated training. It is uncontested that training programs can lead to near transfer, meaning increased performance on untrained tasks involving similar cognitive functions. However, whether training also leads to far transfer, meaning increased performance on loosely related untrained tasks or even activities of daily living, is still hotly debated. Here, we review the extant literature and, in particular, the most recent meta-analytic evidence and argue that the ongoing crisis in the field of cognitive-training research may benefit from taking a more mechanistic approach to studying the effectiveness of training. We propose that (a) adopting a more rigorous theoretical framework that builds on a process-based account of training and transfer, (b) considering the role of individual differences in the responsiveness to training, and (c) drawing on Bayesian models of development may help to solve controversial issues in the field and lead the way to designing and implementing more effective training protocols.