1. Do Brain Games Work? Bryan Mascio HT-100 3/26/2014

2. Do Brain Games Work? Think Carefully About Conclusions Be Sure You Understand The Limitations Of The Tests Don’t Be Reductionist Don’t Be Simplistic IT’S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT

3. 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?

4. 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.

5. The Easy Questions For whom? Compare to what? Used how?

6. Tougher Questions What Games?At What?Measured How?To What Degree?

7. Tougher Questions What Games?At What?Measured How?To What Degree? Bird Watching Divided Visual Attention Divided Visual Attention Assessment

10. 32.8 25.5

11. Tougher Questions What Games?At What?Measured How?To What Degree? Bird Watching Divided 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

14. Forward Spatial Working Memory (Corsi Block Tapping Task) PrePost Treatment5.96.7 Control6.56.0

15. PrePost Treatment5.35.8 Control5.45.6 Reverse Spatial Working Memory (Backwards Corsi Block Tapping Task)

16. Tougher Questions What Games?At What?Measured How?To What Degree? Bird Watching Divided 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 Match Shape-back task (n=1) Visual Working Memory Letter-Span Task Memory Match Shape-back task (n=2)

19. C V B N M

20. Tougher Questions What Games?At What?Measured How?To What Degree? Bird Watching Divided 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 Match Shape-back task (n=1) Visual Working Memory Letter-Span Task No change for treatment No difference between groups Memory Match Shape-back task (n=2)

21. What They Say…

22. The Extended Questions How? For how long? At what expense? [The assessment uses] … Immediately after the training… ?? ?

23. Now it’s your turn…

24. 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?