Yeah, “Brain Training” Games Are Probably a Waste of Time

2 Comments

1. Chris on 14.02.2009 at 03:28

   Well, what’s at stake here?

   Is the claim that there are other things that you could be doing that would have more effect? Undoubtedly so. But the Brain Training games are organised to support the *habit* of doing regular puzzles and mental activities. I don’t believe the report took this into account, and certainly the evidence is vague on all sides at this point. The studies I’ve seen recognise the value of repeated mental activities (of any kind) in fighting decrease in mental acuity.

   Their main complaint seems to be that the Brain Training games might distract someone from pursuing regular physical exercise – I’m not really sure what their evidence is here. Is the same not true of (say) crosswords, and if not why not?

   Plus, let’s not forget, both the Brain Training games include a large quantity of Sudoku puzzles, which are cited as superior mental exercise. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I spent much more time with this than with the core game, and found it much more enjoyable to solve these in a format that allowed me to make easy corrections/tell me when I made a mistake.

   I have some issues with the way these games were marketing, but really, when I compare the marketing of these games to the marketing of, say, pharmaceuticals in the United States, I have great difficulty with the idea that the most suitable target for the finger of blame are these products.

   Best wishes!

   1. shadejon on 14.02.2009 at 15:14

      Points taken. While the criticism didn’t make it too clear, my criticism would be that the marketed game seems to be unnecessarily dull, medicinal, and likely expensive, compared to slews of games that are likely more fun, enjoyable, and free (or cheaper). You bring up medicine, and that’s a good comparison. It’s like hawking a pill that claims to do a lot of good by preying on the clueless; when standing in the sun for ten minutes would do just as much good as the pill. Or specialized sanitary wipes for door handles, when any old tissue will do as much good, and it’s not necessary anyway.

      Also; sudoku is not marketed as brain improving, while these games are; I haven’t seen the ads for them (except the one to which I linked) so I don’t know if they make any promises, but its possible that morons in a hurry would think that they could do these games and abandon their important exercises if they only see the ads, whereas they wouldn’t make that mistake with sudoku which doesn’t make the same promises. I.e. just like certain supplements require a note that they are not actually medicine or meant to cure any specific diseases, these games should have the same warning label if they make health claims.

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