Stage: 3
Session number: 19
Average n-back: 2.95
I seem stuck and am not getting beyond 3.0. I don’t know if it’s simply a limited memory issue or if I’m going about it the wrong way. I know some people lean toward intuition while others come up with effective strategies. Any strategy I try doesn’t work for me, and yet others are posting higher scores. I’ve read that it’s not really about scores but about training continuity and development. Still, it’s not fun to be stuck at 2.95-3.0. Does anybody out there have tips for a situation like mine? See also my related comment to Mateusz, Stage 3, Session 15. –Wayne
MindSparke Working Memory Training
This post was submitted by Wayne.
Tags: Brain Exercises, brain-fitness, brain-fitness-pro, buschkuehl, increase intelligence, increase IQ, intelligence-training, IQ-training, jaeggi, martin-buschkuehl, mind-sparke, susanne-jaeggi, Training Working-Memory, working-memory
Hello, Wayne.
As you say, the research results indicate that the training benefits don’t correlate to the scale of the score increases. However, if we get disheartened by flat scores this isn’t good for the training either.
Memory strategies aside I personally believe that we can improve both our scores and the benefits of the training by applying techniques to hone our focus and attention.
1. Before each training session sit with eyes closed for a few minutes. Relax and deliberately acknowledge, recognize and put aside any concerns about the coming session. Quieting the sense of frustration will permit your mind to give more attention to the training.
2. Next, visualize in your mind a few sample sequences. Push your mental sequences up to n=4, but go slowly through them, with confidence.
3. Before each training block, tell yourself that you will give your full attention to remembering the first few items in the coming sequence flawlessly. And then after that you’ll do your best. At n=3, for instance, tell yourself that you will remember the first six items perfectly. This technique is good for establishing solid focus at the start of the training block which tends to leak over into the rest of the block. It also gradually helps stretch your ability for uninterrupted focus.
4. If you get completely lost and feel the block is doomed, simply press the Stop button, recompose yourself and start again.
As to the memory strategy of breaking sequences into smaller chunks this is generally necessary to succeed at quite long sequences, but should be avoided as much as possible. Certainly up to sequences (n values) of four or five it would be good to try to remember the full set rather than breaking it into chunks.
Best wishes. I hope this helps!!
Martin