Baniqued Pauline L, Lee Hyunkyu, Voss Michelle W, Basak Chandramallika, Cosman Joshua D, Desouza Shanna, Severson Joan, Salthouse Timothy A, Kramer Arthur F
Beckman Institute & Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.
Acta Psychol (Amst). 2013 Jan;142(1):74-86. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2012.11.009. Epub 2012 Dec 17.
The idea that video games or computer-based applications can improve cognitive function has led to a proliferation of programs claiming to "train the brain." However, there is often little scientific basis in the development of commercial training programs, and many research-based programs yield inconsistent or weak results. In this study, we sought to better understand the nature of cognitive abilities tapped by casual video games and thus reflect on their potential as a training tool. A moderately large sample of participants (n=209) played 20 web-based casual games and performed a battery of cognitive tasks. We used cognitive task analysis and multivariate statistical techniques to characterize the relationships between performance metrics. We validated the cognitive abilities measured in the task battery, examined a task analysis-based categorization of the casual games, and then characterized the relationship between game and task performance. We found that games categorized to tap working memory and reasoning were robustly related to performance on working memory and fluid intelligence tasks, with fluid intelligence best predicting scores on working memory and reasoning games. We discuss these results in the context of overlap in cognitive processes engaged by the cognitive tasks and casual games, and within the context of assessing near and far transfer. While this is not a training study, these findings provide a methodology to assess the validity of using certain games as training and assessment devices for specific cognitive abilities, and shed light on the mixed transfer results in the computer-based training literature. Moreover, the results can inform design of a more theoretically-driven and methodologically-sound cognitive training program.
电子游戏或基于计算机的应用程序能够改善认知功能这一观点，导致了大量声称“训练大脑”的程序的涌现。然而，商业训练程序的开发往往缺乏科学依据，许多基于研究的程序也产生了不一致或微弱的结果。在本研究中，我们试图更好地理解休闲电子游戏所涉及的认知能力的本质，从而思考其作为一种训练工具的潜力。一个规模适中的参与者样本（n = 209）玩了20款基于网络的休闲游戏，并完成了一系列认知任务。我们使用认知任务分析和多元统计技术来描述绩效指标之间的关系。我们验证了任务组中测量的认知能力，检查了基于任务分析的休闲游戏分类，然后描述了游戏与任务绩效之间的关系。我们发现，被归类为利用工作记忆和推理能力的游戏与工作记忆和流体智力任务的表现密切相关，流体智力最能预测工作记忆和推理游戏的得分。我们在认知任务和休闲游戏所涉及的认知过程重叠的背景下，以及在评估近迁移和远迁移的背景下讨论了这些结果。虽然这不是一项训练研究，但这些发现提供了一种方法，可用于评估将某些游戏用作特定认知能力的训练和评估工具的有效性，并揭示了基于计算机的训练文献中混合的迁移结果。此外，这些结果可以为设计一个更具理论驱动性和方法合理性的认知训练计划提供参考。
