Effects of task-specific strategy on attentional control game training: preliminary data from healthy adults

Abstract

Although recent studies showed the beneficial effect of video game training, it is still unclear whether the used strategy plays an important role in enhancing performance in the trained cognitive ability and in promoting transfers to other cognitive domains. We investigated behaviourally the effect of strategy on the outcomes of visual attentional control game training and both behaviourally and in terms of EEG-based event-related potentials (ERPs), the effect on other cognitive domains. We recruited 21 healthy young adults (M = 24.33, SD = 3.23), and randomly divided them into three groups: a strategy-training group (STG) instructed to use a specific strategy, a non-strategy training group (NSTG) that self-developed their strategy, and a passive control group (PCG) that underwent only pre-and post-tests (Oxford Cognitive Screen test, Buschke Selective Reminding Test, D2 test of Attention, Digit span test, BADS test, Bells test, Oddball and N-Back tests). Our results showed that the use of a specific strategy made the STG participants respond faster to the trained contrast level task, but not on the contour exercises task. Furthermore, both STG and NSTG showed pre-and post-transfers, however no significant differences were found when comparing the groups, for both behaviour and ERP responses. In conclusion, we believe these preliminary results provide evidence for the importance of strategy choice in cognitive training protocols.