12 replies to this topic

[luminous]

Found this quite interesting--a way to increase intelligence without using nootropics or supplements.

http://www.webmd.com...se-intelligence

April 28, 2008 -- An intense game of Concentration or other demanding memory task might kick your intelligence up a notch or two, and the more you engage your brain this way, the smarter you might become.

Researchers reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say that brain exercises designed to improve working memory also increase scores in fluid intelligence. Fluid intelligence is the ability to reason and solve new problems. It does not rely on memory and is often thought of as having a strong hereditary component. Such intelligence is considered one of the most important factors in learning and is linked to academic and professional success, according to researchers.

The team says their findings suggest that such memory training appears to strengthen the brain's many "executive processes" responsible for problem solving. The score improvements were not due to pre-existing individual differences in fluid intelligence.

[mentatpsi]

This is an excellent article, thanks for posting it ... Kind of wondering though, shouldn't it be moved to the nootropics section?

Edited by mysticpsi, 11 May 2008 - 06:29 AM.

[nanostuff]

A good replica of the test,

http://cognitivefun.net/test/8

Or if you prefer German phonetic,

http://cognitivefun.net/test/5

I agree that this looks pretty important and significant. I've started two days ago and gone from being completely lost on the 2-back to doing fairly well on the 3-back in total play time of no more than 40 minutes. By the end of the month I'll try to make some assessment as to how this translates to my everyday function. Subjective and anecdotal, but if the results are as significant as claimed, I should notice an improvement in my routine.

[mentatpsi]

good luck

[platypus]

I agree that this looks pretty important and significant. I've started two days ago and gone from being completely lost on the 2-back to doing fairly well on the 3-back in total play time of no more than 40 minutes.

At first try that 2-back is damn hard. Do you have a system, i.e. are you trying to visualise the past images or something or are you just relying on your brain to figure the thing out unconsciously?

[knite]

I was doing this today, can get about 60% on 3 back thus far, I actually noticed this is very similar to what I do when I read music (though I only have to remember 1 thing rather than 2, but i generally go further than 2 or 3 notes), reading notes ahead of what is actually being played. I'd like to see how musicians who can actually read music well (unlike myself) perform on this.

[platypus]

I was doing this today, can get about 60% on 3 back thus far, I actually noticed this is very similar to what I do when I read music (though I only have to remember 1 thing rather than 2, but i generally go further than 2 or 3 notes), reading notes ahead of what is actually being played. I'd like to see how musicians who can actually read music well (unlike myself) perform on this.

Do you repeat/rehearse in your mind the items that you are currently keeping in memory? This will strenghten the memory-trace I suppose. I have a bit of difficulties discarding the item no longer needed, it seems listing the things and going over the list helps.

[knite]

I was doing this today, can get about 60% on 3 back thus far, I actually noticed this is very similar to what I do when I read music (though I only have to remember 1 thing rather than 2, but i generally go further than 2 or 3 notes), reading notes ahead of what is actually being played. I'd like to see how musicians who can actually read music well (unlike myself) perform on this.

Do you repeat/rehearse in your mind the items that you are currently keeping in memory? This will strenghten the memory-trace I suppose. I have a bit of difficulties discarding the item no longer needed, it seems listing the things and going over the list helps.

yeah i do, i keep a list going, saying the furthest one back (therefore the next to come up) first, then the second, and finally I reinforce the current one. That is the most difficult part, getting rid of the last one on the list and popping the newest one on top.

[Brafarality]

A good replica of the test,

http://cognitivefun.net/test/8

I am such a non-believer in real-time-systems testing such as this silly game, Tetris, Dr. Mario, etc.

Maybe, it is because I honed my savant powers on puzzles, games, and academic stuff that were based on still, unmoving pieces of paper, books, etc., and, thus, prefer anything with an unchanging, though still very complex, system such as difficult sudoku and logic problems, to this game which, actually, now that I consider it, has an appealing PBS The Electric Company quality to it.

But, good research cannot be dismissed lightly, so maybe these types of mental workouts are worth another look.
And, fluid intelligence doesn't impress much either: never liked the term.

Summary:
fluid intelligence: overrated. no correlation between it and true genius. Matisse had low fluid intelligence.
real time systems: more mind-hand-connection than deep intelligence. Keats would score poorly in this game!

Brilliance comes dropping slow.
Dropping from the veils of morning to where the cricket sings.

Edited by paulthekind, 11 June 2008 - 09:12 PM.

[platypus]

Summary:
fluid intelligence: overrated. no correlation between it and true genius. Matisse had low fluid intelligence.
real time systems: more mind-hand-connection than deep intelligence. Keats would score poorly in this game!

I don't think fluid intelligence is needed for being a brilliant poet or painter so you're right. It has more uses in abstract reasoning, sciences etc.

[luminous]

This is an excellent article, thanks for posting it ... Kind of wondering though, shouldn't it be moved to the nootropics section?

I wasn 't sure where to put it. I thought a nootropic was a substance or drug as opposed to a memory game. Not sure about that, though.

[mentatpsi]

This is an excellent article, thanks for posting it ... Kind of wondering though, shouldn't it be moved to the nootropics section?

I wasn 't sure where to put it. I thought a nootropic was a substance or drug as opposed to a memory game. Not sure about that, though.

ya, you're definitely right. I had thought it would reach a better demographic if in the nootropic section since I'm sure many people there would be interested in this. Technically though who knows, we can add definitions to words right lol ? The way i define nootropic is just anything that increases power of the mind, but i suppose it's not an accurate definition.

[celavie]

Maybe, it is because I honed my savant powers on puzzles, games, and academic stuff that were based on still, unmoving pieces of paper, books, etc., and, thus, prefer anything with an unchanging, though still very complex, system such as difficult sudoku and logic problems, to this game which, actually, now that I consider it, has an appealing PBS The Electric Company quality to it.

Clearly, a "savant power" you still need to develop is the ability to compose a well-written English paragraph. The above is appalling.