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Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

arstechnica.co.uk

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Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#11

Post by DiffEq »

notheguyouthink wrote: post #3
moron4hire wrote: post #2

I'm in the middle of planning a startup with a doctor who does research on therapy methods for traumatic brain injury. She frequently goes on rants about how much bullshit Lumosity is. So literal appeal to authority, but this particular authority was doing research at NIH for 17 years. I think she knows what she's doing.

Are there any that aren't bullshit? I'm debating just setting up a spaced repetition app with my own custom knowledge base. At least that way I may not be getting higher brain function, but higher retention on memory items I care about.

Or...one, or all of these:

1.Learn a Second Language 2. https://projecteuler.net/archives 3. http://rosalind.info/problems/list-view/

If you are going to exercise your brain, you might as well get smarter and learn useful skills in the process.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#12

Post by wannabe_miner »

chrisdone wrote: post #5
moron4hire wrote: post #2

I'm in the middle of planning a startup with a doctor who does research on therapy methods for traumatic brain injury. She frequently goes on rants about how much bullshit Lumosity is. So literal appeal to authority, but this particular authority was doing research at NIH for 17 years. I think she knows what she's doing.

I'll cite your Hacker News comment in my next paper.

Can you link to one of your previous papers?

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#13

Post by aklemm »

notheguyouthink wrote: post #3
moron4hire wrote: post #2

I'm in the middle of planning a startup with a doctor who does research on therapy methods for traumatic brain injury. She frequently goes on rants about how much bullshit Lumosity is. So literal appeal to authority, but this particular authority was doing research at NIH for 17 years. I think she knows what she's doing.

Are there any that aren't bullshit? I'm debating just setting up a spaced repetition app with my own custom knowledge base. At least that way I may not be getting higher brain function, but higher retention on memory items I care about.

Why not just build stuff and solve real life problems with all your effort? That in itself is brain training AND productive at the same time.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#14

Post by kiba »

notheguyouthink wrote: post #3
moron4hire wrote: post #2

I'm in the middle of planning a startup with a doctor who does research on therapy methods for traumatic brain injury. She frequently goes on rants about how much bullshit Lumosity is. So literal appeal to authority, but this particular authority was doing research at NIH for 17 years. I think she knows what she's doing.

Are there any that aren't bullshit? I'm debating just setting up a spaced repetition app with my own custom knowledge base. At least that way I may not be getting higher brain function, but higher retention on memory items I care about.

Spaced repetition absolutely works. I can literally see it in the statistics as clear as day. This is in addition to all the scientific evidences.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#15

Post by gargarplex »

rajadigopula wrote: post #7

I am a lifetime member of lumosity for past few years. they used to have a beta-version game of "Dual-N-Back" which is the only one that might have some impact on brain. The irony is they removed it and keeping the useless ones; even keep modifying the UI of the same games again and again..

Dual N Back is a test of memory. Where is the evidence that practicing does anything besides decrease the accuracy of the test?

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#16

Post by gargarplex »

notheguyouthink wrote: post #3
moron4hire wrote: post #2

I'm in the middle of planning a startup with a doctor who does research on therapy methods for traumatic brain injury. She frequently goes on rants about how much bullshit Lumosity is. So literal appeal to authority, but this particular authority was doing research at NIH for 17 years. I think she knows what she's doing.

Are there any that aren't bullshit? I'm debating just setting up a spaced repetition app with my own custom knowledge base. At least that way I may not be getting higher brain function, but higher retention on memory items I care about.

I'm conversational in Swedish. Started with duolingo.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#17

Post by it_learnses »

rajadigopula wrote: post #7

I am a lifetime member of lumosity for past few years. they used to have a beta-version game of "Dual-N-Back" which is the only one that might have some impact on brain. The irony is they removed it and keeping the useless ones; even keep modifying the UI of the same games again and again..

actually dual n back skills are also non-transferable.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#18

Post by hoodwink »

gargarplex wrote: post #15
rajadigopula wrote: post #7

I am a lifetime member of lumosity for past few years. they used to have a beta-version game of "Dual-N-Back" which is the only one that might have some impact on brain. The irony is they removed it and keeping the useless ones; even keep modifying the UI of the same games again and again..

Dual N Back is a test of memory. Where is the evidence that practicing does anything besides decrease the accuracy of the test?

Here is the most comprehensive review of the DnB experiments I have ever seen:

https://www.gwern.net/DNB%20meta-analysis

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#19

Post by adrianN »

dmreedy wrote: post #4
notheguyouthink wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any that aren't bullshit? I'm debating just setting up a spaced repetition app with my own custom knowledge base. At least that way I may not be getting higher brain function, but higher retention on memory items I care about.

If there are, they would be as difficult to recognize as germ theory to a 16th century doctor. We simply don't know enough yet about the mechanism.

You don't need germ theory to notice that washing your hands before performing surgery improves outcomes.

Re: Study finds Lumosity users show no improvements in cognitive performance

#20

Post by kranner »

Title should include "for healthy young adults" as in the study:

"The researchers note limitations in the study, most importantly that they only looked at young, healthy people. Brain-training games may still prove useful for aging adults or people suffering from addiction or unhealthy behaviors, the researchers caution."

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