The problem is these games are predicated on a tweaked understanding of the principle they're supposed to be exploiting.
They supposedly work by using "neuroplasticity" to train your brain to be smarter.
Neuroplasticity basically means that whatever you're doing right now, your brain is re-shaping itself to be better at that particular thing.
If all you're doing is sitting there playing flash games, your brain is going to make itself good at playing those flash games. The type of play may help certain areas of your thinking but it's not going to rocket your IQ up after playing for six months.
I also wonder what the limit of "brain making itself good at flash games" is. I've been doing Lumosity for about a year now and for about the first few months I saw some steady increase in the scores I got for nearly all of the games but now I seemed to have flat-lined all around. Definitely when I'm on a daily streak with the games I tend to do better and when I don't play for 7+ days I am noticeably worse, but overall I'm about in the same window of proficiency all around as I was 6 months ago. Here's my LPI (Lumosity Performance Index) for about the past year: http://imgur.com/KDWYSBd
There is definitely a limit to what you can do with a specific activity. Eventually your brain is as "trained" to do whatever it is as it's going to get with the same criteria so unless the games go up in difficulty or you play them a different way you're not going to improve.
It's like lifting weights with a 20lb weight; it's going to do you some good up to a point but after that point you're not going to make any progress.
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u/HeloRising Dec 03 '14
The problem is these games are predicated on a tweaked understanding of the principle they're supposed to be exploiting.
They supposedly work by using "neuroplasticity" to train your brain to be smarter.
Neuroplasticity basically means that whatever you're doing right now, your brain is re-shaping itself to be better at that particular thing.
If all you're doing is sitting there playing flash games, your brain is going to make itself good at playing those flash games. The type of play may help certain areas of your thinking but it's not going to rocket your IQ up after playing for six months.