No abstract

No abstract

ObjectivesStrategic memory training involves explicit instructions in mnemonic methods to improve recall. Mental imagery is considered among the most effective encoding strategies. The aim of the present study was to assess the benefits of a strategic memory training based on mental imagery (originally proposed by Carretti et al., 2007) and to further investigate its potentials. The study represents a replication in a new and independent cultural setting and features valuable methodological amendments, while it also examines individual predictors of training efficacy.DesignA sample of 91 older volunteers (age 61–88), divided in training and control group, participated in the training. Specific training gain in the immediate word list recall (criterion task), as well as transfer effects on Letter‐Number Sequencing (working memory [WM] task), long‐term recall and recognition (LTM tasks) were tested at the pretest and at the posttest.ResultsAnalysis of variance showed posttraining effects in immediate word recall and long‐term verbal recall, but no effects in WM task and long‐term recognition. Regression analysis showed age to be the only significant predictor in one task, the immediate word recall.ConclusionsOverall, proposed training can improve some aspects of memory performance by aiding in strategic use of mental imagery. Transfer to other tasks and contribution of individual predictors to training efficacy results limited, however. It seems that training benefits are evident when task similarity enables transfer‐appropriate processing (as evidenced in gains of both recall tasks), while training efficacy relies on individual characteristics which contribute to the execution of some task components.

Executive functions enable and support most of our daily cognitive functioning. Within the number of executive functions proposed, updating, inhibition and shifting are most often considered as the three core executive functions. Cognitive training paradigms provide a platform for a possible enhancement of these functions. Since updating training has been studied to a greater extent, we wanted to investigate the effectiveness of inhibition and shifting training in this study. Emerging adults (psychology students) were randomly assigned either to the inhibition training (based on the Simon task; n = 36) or to the shifting training (based on the task switching paradigm; n = 35). Both groups underwent twelve 20-minute sessions distributed over four weeks. Measurements before and after the training included criterion tasks (i.e. the training tasks), near-transfer tasks (i.e. tasks that address the trained functions but use different types of stimuli or rules to respond), and far-transfer tasks (i.e., tasks that address untrained cognitive functions). The control participants (n = 36) were tested with a combination of these tasks. Both training groups improved their criteria task performance over time, while convincing training-related gains were not found in either near- or far-transfer tasks. This study raises some conceptual questions for the training of executive functions with respect to a sample of emerging adults with above-average cognitive abilities, motivational elements of training, and the role of executive functions in more complex everyday cognitive activities.

No abstract