Increased training complexity reduces the effectiveness of brief working memory training: evidence from short-term single and dual n-back training interventions
Abstract
N-back training has recently come under intense scientific scrutiny due to reports of training-related improvements in general fluid intelligence. As of yet, relatively little is known about the effects of short-term n-back training interventions, however. In a pretest-training-posttest design, we compared brief dual and single n-back training regimen in terms of training gains and transfer effects relative to a passive control group. Transfer effects indicated that, in the short-term, single n-back training may be the more effective training task: At the short training duration we employed, neither training group showed far transfer to specific task switch costs, Stroop inhibition costs or matrix reasoning indexing fluid intelligence. Yet, both types of training resulted in a reduction of general task switch costs indicating improved cognitive control during the sustained maintenance of competing task sets. Single but not dual n-back training additionally yielded near transfer to an untrained working memory updating task.
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Training on N-back improves performance on N-back tasks that were not trained.
“While there is little doubt that N-back training leads to improved performance on untrained N-back tasks13,25–27”
From Near transfer to an unrelated N-back task mediates the effect of N-back working memory training on matrix reasoning (2022) · cites this paper as [27]
A lack of transfer effects from WMU training to fluid intelligence has been reported in a number of studies, and some meta-analyses have addressed this issue.
“A lack of transfer effects from WMU training to fluid intelligence has been reported in a number of studies too (e.g., [14–17, 27]), and some meta-analyses have addressed this issue.”
From Nearest transfer effects of working memory training: A comparison of two programs focused on working memory updating (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
There was evidence suggesting n-back training transfers to n-back tasks with new stimulus materials.
“In line with previous findings, there was evidence suggesting n-back training transfers to n-back tasks with new stimulus materials (Jaeggi et al., 2010; Anguera et al., 2012; Küper and Karbach, 2016; Minear et al., 2016; Soveri et al., 2017).”
From Are Working Memory Training Effects Paradigm-Specific? (2019) · cites this paper as Küper and Karbach, 2016
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- Authors
- Küper, K., & Karbach, J.
- Affiliations
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (DE)
- Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Küper, Kristina
- ORCID
- Karbach, Julia
- Venue
- Journal of Cognitive Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2015-12-07
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 199-208
- ISSN
- 2044-5911 (ISSN-L)
- 2044-592X
- OpenAlex
- W2273757702
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 4.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Cognitive Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Saarland University (Start-up grant)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- working memory training, training complexity, fluid intelligence, transfer effects, switch costs, matrix reasoning, cognitive control, working memory updating, training duration
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