Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Cognitive Training pp 157–166Cite as

Individual Differences and Motivational Effects

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Why do some people improve on untrained tasks following cognitive training while others do not? One possibility is that there are individual difference factors that play a key role in cognitive training outcomes. The present chapter examines a range of these factors, including baseline performance, age, personality, and motivation. Some of these factors, such as baseline performance and age, have long been examined in the context of cognitive training, and extant research provides evidence that they contribute to the outcome of both training-related improvements as well as transfer gains. Other factors, including personality and motivation, remain largely unexamined in the context of cognitive training, but preliminary research indicates that they may play a substantial role in the success of these interventions. We suggest that researchers ignore these factors at their peril and that future cognitive training studies should incorporate measures of individual differences in studies well powered enough to examine them. Furthermore, it is possible that for training interventions to be broadly successful for large populations, they must be personalized to take these factors into account.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    While Au et al. (2014) did find differences between cognitive training studies conducted in the United States compared to other countries, it remains unclear whether those differences are related to cultural or other factors (e.g., motivation).

References

  • Au, J., Sheehan, E., Tsai, N., Duncan, G. J., Buschkuehl, M., & Jaeggi, S. M. (2014). Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory: A meta-analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 22(2), 366–377. doi:10.3758/s13423-014-0699-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borella, E., Carretti, B., Cantarella, A., Riboldi, F., Zavagnin, M., & De Beni, R. (2014). Benefits of training visuospatial working memory in young–old and old–old. Developmental Psychology, 50(3), 714–727. doi:10.1037/a0034293.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brehmer, Y., Westerberg, H., & Bäckman, L. (2012). Working-memory training in younger and older adults: Training gains, transfer, and maintenance. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 63. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00063.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Chein, J. M., & Morrison, A. B. (2010). Expanding the mind’s workspace: Training and transfer effects with a complex working memory span task. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 17(2), 193–199. doi:10.3758/PBR.17.2.193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gruszka, A., Matthews, G., & Szymura, B. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of individual differences in cognition: Attention, memory, and executive control (pp. 295–320). New York: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1210-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, J. L., Nelson, R. A., Thomason, M. E., Sternberg, D. A., Katovich, K., Farzin, F., et al. (2015). Enhancing cognitive abilities with comprehensive training: A large, online, randomized, active-controlled trial. PLoS One, 10(9), 1–17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0134467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, J. J., Hill, P. L., Payne, B. R., Roberts, B. W., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. (2012). Can an old dog learn (and want to experience) new tricks? Cognitive training increases openness to experience in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 27(2), 286–292. doi:10.1037/a0025918.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Perrig, W. J. (2008). Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105(19), 6829–6833. doi:10.1073/pnas.0801268105.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Shah, P. (2011). Short-and long-term benefits of cognitive training. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(25), 10081–10086. doi:10.1073/pnas.1103228108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Shah, P., & Jonides, J. (2014). The role of individual differences in cognitive training and transfer. Memory & Cognition, 42(3), 464–480. doi:10.3758/s13421-013-0364-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karbach, J., & Unger, K. (2014). Executive control training from middle childhood to adolescence. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 390. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00390.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Karbach, J., & Verhaeghen, P. (2014). Making working memory work: A meta-analysis of executive-control and working memory training in older adults. Psychological Science, 25(11), 2027–2037. doi:10.1177/0956797614548725.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, B., Jaeggi, S., Buschkuehl, M., Shah, P., & Jonides, J. (submitted for publication). The effect of monetary compensation on cognitive training.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, B., Jaeggi, S., Buschkuehl, M., Stegman, A., & Shah, P. (2014). Differential effect of motivational features on training improvements in school-based cognitive training. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 242. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.00242.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Klingberg, T., Fernell, E., Olesen, P. J., Johnson, M., Gustafsson, P., Dahlström, K., et al. (2005). Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD—A randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(2), 177–186. doi:10.1097/00004583-200502000-00010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melby-Lervåg, M., & Hulme, C. (2013). Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Psychology, 49(2), 270–291. doi:10.1037/a0028228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Open Science Collaboration. (2015). Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science. Science, 349(6251), 943–951. doi:10.1126/science.aac4716.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redick, T. S., Shipstead, Z., Harrison, T. L., Hicks, K. L., Fried, D. E., Hambrick, D. Z., et al. (2013). No evidence of intelligence improvement after working memory training: A randomized, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 142(2), 359–379. doi:10.1037/a0029082.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richmond, L. L., Morrison, A. B., Chein, J. M., & Olson, I. R. (2011). Working memory training and transfer in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 26(4), 813–822. doi:10.1037/a0023631.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salthouse, T. A. (1996). The processing-speed theory of adult age differences in cognition. Psychological Review, 103(3), 403–428. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.103.3.403.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaie, K. W., Willis, S. L., & Caskie, G. I. (2004). The Seattle longitudinal study: Relationship between personality and cognition. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 11(2–3), 304–324. doi:10.1080/13825580490511134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmiedek, F., Lövdén, M., & Lindenberger, U. (2010). Hundred days of cognitive training enhance broad cognitive abilities in adulthood: Findings from the COGITO study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2, 27. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2010.00027.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schwaighofer, M., Fischer, F., & Bühner, M. (2015). Does working memory training transfer? A meta-analysis including training conditions as moderators. Educational Psychologist, 50(2), 138–166. doi:10.1080/00461520.2015.1036274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snow, R. E. (1991). Aptitude-treatment interaction as a framework for research on individual differences in psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(2), 205–216. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.59.2.205.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Studer-Luethi, B., Bauer, C., & Perrig, W. J. (2015). Working memory training in children: Effectiveness depends on temperament. Memory & Cognition, 44(2), 171–186. doi:10.3758/s13421-015-0548-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Studer-Luethi, B., Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., & Perrig, W. J. (2012). Influence of neuroticism and conscientiousness on working memory training outcome. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(1), 44–49. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2012.02.012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urbánek, T., & Marček, V. (2015). Investigating the effectiveness of working memory training in the context of Personality Systems Interaction theory. Psychological Research, 1–12. doi:10.1007/s00426-015-0687-4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willis, S. L. (1989). Improvement with cognitive training: Which old dogs learn what tricks? In Poon, L. W., Rubin, D. C., & Wilson, B. A. (Eds.), Everyday cognition in adulthood and late life (pp. 545–569). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press; xii, 708 pp. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511759390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verhaeghen, P., Marcoen, A., & Goossens, L. (1992). Improving memory performance in the aged through mnemonic training: a meta-analytic study. Psychology and aging, 7(2), 242.doi:10.1037/0882-7974.7.2.242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wass, S. V., Scerif, G., & Johnson, M. H. (2012). Training attentional control and working memory–Is younger, better?. Developmental Review, 32(4), 360-387.doi:10.1016/j.dr.2012.07.001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willis, S. L., & Caskie, G. I. (2013). Reasoning training in the ACTIVE study: how much is needed and who benefits? Journal of Aging and Health, 25(8 Suppl), 43S–64S. doi:10.1177/0898264313503987.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zinke, K., Zeintl, M., Eschen, A., Herzog, C., & Kliegel, M. (2012). Potentials and limits of plasticity induced by working memory training in old-old age. Gerontology, 58(1), 79–87. doi:10.1159/000324240.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zinke, K., Zeintl, M., Rose, N. S., Putzmann, J., Pydde, A., & Kliegel, M. (2014). Working memory training and transfer in older adults: Effects of age, baseline performance, and training gains. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 304–315. doi:10.1037/a0032982.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Benjamin Katz & Priti Shah

  2. School of Education, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA

    Masha R. Jones & Susanne M. Jaeggi

  3. MIND Research Institute, Irvine, CA, USA

    Martin Buschkuehl

Authors
  1. Benjamin Katz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Masha R. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Priti Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Martin Buschkuehl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Susanne M. Jaeggi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin Katz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Tilo Strobach

  2. Department of Psychology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    Julia Karbach

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Katz, B., Jones, M.R., Shah, P., Buschkuehl, M., Jaeggi, S.M. (2016). Individual Differences and Motivational Effects. In: Strobach, T., Karbach, J. (eds) Cognitive Training. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42662-4_15

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation