Shiho Amster Blog # 13: Can You Train Your Brain?
Can You Train Your Brain?
 |
| https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-MBG4664-8-Original-Memory-Game-Hasbro/dp/B004LD7KUA |
When I think of memory, the childhood card game where matching cards with the same symbol is what comes to mind. This is a common game that is introduced to young children for the objective of strengthening memory and simultaneously aiding children in learning the words associated with different symbols ranging from animals, vegetables, and even colors. Children stop playing these games after they reach adolescence, and the next time people generally seek to play memory games is when they become elders and are starting to lose their memory.
While it seems logical to play memory games to prevent memory loss or even postpone dementia, both disorders related to a loss of memory in relation to old age, are these games actually effective in training one's memory?
According to a scientific article on the American Psychological Association and Scientific American, the “study results [for memory training] have been inconsistent,” which question whether “these skills result in actual benefits that are consequential for … daily life.” While on a short term scale participants for various studies testing the effectiveness of memory games have shown cognitive improvement from brain games, there has also been evidence to show that this boost in “cognitive improvements had waned” over time.
While the teenage years are probably the peak period for memory and cognitive ability, it is valid to be concerned with how teenagers should be taking steps today to help maintain their memory throughout adulthood and eventually as a senior citizen. With this dilemma on the effectiveness of memory games put out by researchers, do you think you will find yourself playing brain games for the purpose of enhancing memory in the future?
Sources:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-brain-training-actually-work/
Hello Shiho,
ReplyDeleteMy mom always tells me that she is losing her memory, whether short term with forgetting where she kept her glass of water or long term with forgetting where certain events took place. I think memory games can be helpful but are most effective when they are implemented in daily life. For example, trying to remember your shopping list or things that need to be done that day strengthens your memory in the long term. When I save my usernames and passwords to my computer or phone then I am not actively keeping them stored in my memory, increasing the chances that I am unable to log in when I am forced to recall them. As we grow older, we should expand on the knowledge our minds are capable of retaining so that we can continue exercising our cognitive ability.
Hey Shiho, a lot of my friends tell me I have horrible memory, so I wonder if playing memory games may help me with this and if games like this could help someone get better at studying for tests. Especially since issues like memory loss are more difficult to treat, a correlation between playing memory games and increased memory retention could be monumental. However, even it is backed by researchers, it seems unlikely that teenagers themselves will take the initiative and find the time to play memory games in hopes of helping their memories decades later. Your discussion of memory games also makes me wonder if there are specific memory techniques that could also potentially prove helpful for elders who struggle with memory loss.
ReplyDeleteHey Shiho, I remember playing this game when I was younger, I used to always win against my parents and it's crazy how I remembered where every card was once I saw it. But now, my parents always say that I used to have the best memory then but since I haven't played in years that I have worse memory. Maybe that game did really help boost my memory to the point where I could remember things in the snap of a finger. Sometimes I wonder if I should start playing again just to help my memory for school and absorbing/remembering information. This is an interesting thing to think about over the title of memories, I never thought about that so I love how you interpretted this.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho, I have played this game before, and memory games in general are so fun to play for me, but to be honest, I've never looked at it as a way to improve my memory. This could be because of my own research conclusion that these games did nothing to help my currently faulty memory. I still do think that they hold some benefit though. They surely could help short term memory, but I doubt teenagers would play them. Speaking from personal experience, if there is no clear value in improving my memory, I don't see why I would play them. But with the various memory games out there, your blog makes me curious whether some games work for some people and not for others.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho, your blog about memory games made me remember the joy I had playing the game when I was younger. Although I do play this game today, I try to implement a technique called active recall when learning new material. Every day after school I write down a couple of bullet points in my journal of what I learned and the assignments I have to complete. Doing this short task has enabled me to spend less time studying the material and more time practicing. I am also currently playing this game called Wordle which I feel has improved my cognitive abilities as it requires me to think of words and remember the orders of letters I got right.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho! You unlocked a childhood memory that I forgot I had with this game. I don't think I will find myself playing these games for the sake of preventing memory loss, but I do enjoy doing them for fun. Even if the benefits are temporary, you would at least be getting a quick brain workout.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho! I remember playing these memory games when I was younger. I believe there are other sorts of memory games that we play now, though we might not even know to categorize them as memory games. I'm sure now I would not go out of my way to play these games, but my mom is always telling me how my age right now is the age my memory would be the best. She is always urging me to go learn new things or read books, as the information we acquire now often stays with us until old age.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho, like everyone else, I remember playing these games back in the day. I did not play them to improve my memory but just for fun and to test how far I could get. I'm sure these games, or similar activities, are used to help patients with neurological diseases because the article you mentioned shows a level of cognitive improvement associated with playing memory games.
ReplyDeleteHi Shiho, I remember playing that game and I really enjoyed it when I was little. I am not surprised though that after some time, the benefits from playing memory games are not as clear or even decrease over time. I wonder if that is because scientists are still conducting research into the human brain and have yet to fully understand the process of aging and dementia in the brain. There may be a game in the near future that is better. I didn’t know that the teenage years are a peak period for memory, but that does makes sense because this is the time period when we need our memories the most in order to remember all of the material we need for all of our classes.
ReplyDelete