Brain Training

My short-term memory capacity was labeled as "relatively poor" in my elementary school days. I came to accept this label, however, I viewed it as a disadvantage.

Only recently, with my interest in self-improvement, did I try to look online for information on how I could improve my memory capacity. I stumbled on something called the dual n-back task. It was claimed that training with this task improved working memory and fluid intelligence. Working memory is a type of short-term memory. Fluid intelligence is intelligence used to solve novel problems.

What is the dual n-back task? It may be easier to first explain what "n-back" means. In an n-back task, where n represents any number, a series of stimuli is presented and one is given the task of deciding whether the current stimulus matches a previous stimulus n times back in the series. For example, In a 1-back task, suppose the following numbers are presented:

4, 6, 3, 4, 4, 2, 6

A correct match would be occur when the fifth number in the series is presented, the fifth number being a 4, since the number 1 time back in the series was also a 4.

A dual n-back task requires us to follow two types of stimuli. Adding to the numbers example above, suppose the numbers are coloured, the colour being the second type of stimulus. If we presented the following series:

red 4, red 6, green 3, blue 4, blue 4, green 2, orange 6,

in a dual 1-back task, a colour match would occur when the red 6 is presented (since the colour 1 time back was also a red), and a colour and a number match would occur when the second blue 4 is presented (since the colour 1 time back was also a blue, and the number 1 time back was also a 4).

I searched for dual n-back software that I could train with and found a great one called Brain Workshop on Source-Forge.net, a website I have mentioned in a previous post.

Here's to improving our intelligence by using our computers!

Superbrain Yoga

In my south Indian Hindu culture, there is an ancient prayer that we do before Lord Ganesh where we hold our earlobes and repeatedly crouch down and get up.

As well, my dad used to tell me that it was also given as a punishment in school in Sri Lanka!

It has now been shown that this exercise actually improves brain function, and has been re-packaged as Superbrain Yoga.

Some of its many benefits are improved memory, and increased ability to handle stress. It has even been shown to help learning-disabled children increase their mental abilities.

To learn how to do it, click here.

Ideally, this exercise should be done daily, for at least a couple of weeks, before any tangible results are seen.

Personally, I haven't been doing this consistently enough to see any improvement yet. I guess I must be more disciplined in my practice!

Click here for a video about Superbrain Yoga.