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The Effect of Training Working Memory and Attention on Pupils’ Fluid Intelligence

Author: ZhongChongJian
Tutor: XuZhan
School: Southwestern University
Course: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Keywords: working memory training attention training pupil fluid intelligence
CLC: B842.3
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 257
Quote: 2
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Abstract

Working memory, attention and intelligence are closely related, and some studies suggest that intelligence can be used as an indicator of prediction, but whether can improve fluid intelligence, research results less consistent; Whether the improvement of fluid intelligence caused by training of working memory related to training task is not clear; The attention training impact on fluid intelligence is not yet clear; In addition, from children training point of view. there is not much research literature. This paper mainly discusses the training effect on fluid intelligence and working memory from the angle of children working memory training and attention training.This study includes three experiments. The main purpose of preliminary experiments is to understand the subjects performance on the the single task of visual working memory, working memory dual n-back task and dual-channel attention task at the same time.Then, according to the performance of the subjects, we will make a standard which decides the next block difficulty of subjects. We made the difficulty standard according to the performance of the subjects:when the number of correct trial of each block t between 13-18, n constant in the next block; more than or equal to 19, n+1 back in the next block; less than equal to 12, n-1back in the next block.The performance on Single visual working memory task and dual n-back working memory task is in line with expectations, we can distinguish between the four levels of difficulty; There is not a increases difficulty on dual-channel attention task between the four levels, so the task requires further improvement.The purpose of the first experiment is to explore whether WM training and attention training can improve GF; the influence of different training mission; the effect of mount of training on the improvement of GF; whether the rise of GF would improve children’s academic achievement.We expect:training can improve fluid intelligence and working memory span; different training tasks have a different effect on improving fluid intelligence, only dual n-back working memory training can improve fluid intelligence; the performance of working memory training and attention training tasks will increase with training amount; Ideally, the training effect will be reflected in the children’s academic achievement and improvement.We have trained and control subjects who all accepted pre-test and post-test of fluid intelligence,working memory reading span and working memory digit span before and after the training.The trained subjects accepted either working memory training or attention training,only one task each, and meanwhile, the control group didn’t do anything. It should be pointed out that there is difference in the amount of training between the trained groups. There are four training levels (five days, ten days, fifteen days, twenty days) of training amount.There are five major research findings:(1) The training gain was well explained by a linear function for every group of working memory and attention training tasks. (2) Fifteen days of training is best to improve fluid intelligence and working memory reading span. (3) The simultaneous double n-back working memory task is the best task to increase fluid intelligence. (4) The ANOVA and Covariance ANOVA found that participants with initially lower fluid intelligence, working memory reading and digit span showed even larger gains on them.(5)Training is good for improving math scores.The goal of experiment 2 is to explore whether 15 days of training has a special role on improving fluid intelligence; The benefit of low group on fluid intelligence, reading span, digital span is greater than the high group. Experiment 2 hypothesis:Fifteen days of training have special effect to improve fluid intelligence; The low group get benefit more than the high group.The first independent variable includes15 days and20 days two level; The second independent variable includes training, control two level. The other conditions are the same as experiment one. Experiment two shows that fluid intelligence group significantly higher than control group; There isn’t significant differences between 15 days and 19 days on the influence of fluid intelligence; The benefit of low group was greater than the high group on fluid intelligence、reading span and digital span.Integrating experiment one and two, this research shows that:(1) The training of working memory or attention can improve fluid intelligence, simultaneous double n-back WM task was the best to improve fluid intelligence; The Training group was significantly better than control group on fluid intelligence、WM span and math scores.(2) The training gain was well explained by a linear function for every group of working memory and attention training tasks. But there is no significant role of training amount. (3) Whether on fluid intelligence, working memory span or Chinese、math scores, the benefit of low group was obviously higher than the high group.

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