Do Brain Games Work?

Bryan MascioHT-100

3/26/2014

Do Brain Games Work?

Think Carefully About

Conclusions

Be Sure You Understand

The Limitations Of The

Tests

Don’t Be Reductionist

Don’t Be SimplisticIT’S MORE COMPLICATED THAN

THAT

The Sub-Questions:For whom?Compared to what?Used how?What games?At what?Measured how?

To what degree?How?For how long?At what expense?

An Example…

Hardy, J. L., Drescher, D., Sarkar, K., Kellett, G., & Scanlon, M. (2011). Enhancing visual attention and working memory with a web-based cognitive training program. Mensa Research Journal, 42(2), 13-20.

The Easy QuestionsFor whom?

Compare to what?

Used how?

Tougher QuestionsWhat Games? At

What?Measured How? To What Degree?

Tougher QuestionsWhat Games? At

What?Measured How? To What Degree?

Bird WatchingDivided Visual Attention

Divided Visual Attention Assessment

32.8

25.5

Tougher QuestionsWhat Games? At

What?Measured How? To What Degree?

Bird WatchingDivided Visual Attention

Divided Visual Attention Assessment

• Change for treatment

• Difference between groups

Monster Garden

Spatial Working Memory

Corsi Block Tapping Task

Reverse Corsi Block Tapping Task

Forward Spatial Working Memory(Corsi Block Tapping Task)

Pre Post

Treatment

5.9 6.7

Control 6.5 6.0

Pre Post

Treatment

5.3 5.8

Control 5.4 5.6

Reverse Spatial Working Memory(Backwards Corsi Block Tapping Task)

Tougher QuestionsWhat Games? At

What?Measured How? To What Degree?

Bird WatchingDivided Visual Attention

Divided Visual Attention Assessment

• Change for treatment

• Difference between groups

Monster Garden

Spatial Working Memory

Corsi Block Tapping Task

• Change for treatment

• Difference between groups

Reverse Corsi Block Tapping Task

• Change for treatment

• No difference between groups

Speed MatchShape-back task (n=1) Visual

Working Memory

Letter-Span TaskMemory MatchShape-back task (n=2)

C V B N M

Tougher QuestionsWhat Games? At

What?Measured How? To What Degree?

Bird WatchingDivided Visual Attention

Divided Visual Attention Assessment

• Change for treatment

• Difference between groups

Monster Garden

Spatial Working Memory

Corsi Block Tapping Task

• Change for treatment

• Difference between groups

Reverse Corsi Block Tapping Task

• Change for treatment

• No difference between groups

Speed MatchShape-back task (n=1) Visual

Working Memory

Letter-Span Task• No change for

treatment• No difference

between groupsMemory MatchShape-back task (n=2)

What They Say…

The Extended Questions

How?

For how long?

At what expense?

[The assessment uses] …

Immediately after the training…???

Now it’s your turn…

Franceschini, S., Gori, S., Ruffino, M., Viola, S., Molteni, M., & Facoetti, A. (2013). Action video games make dyslexic children read better. Current Biology, 23(6), 462-466.

For whom?Compared to what?Used how?What games?At what?Measured how?To what degree?

How?For how long?At what expense?