Cognitive Training Tasks, Or Brain Games - 1706 Words

There is no conclusive evidence as to whether or not cognitive training tasks, or brain games, are effective. Companies like Lumosity offer their users different games that target specific cognitive functions: memory, spatial awareness, problem solving, attention, reasoning, and more. Over time, the continued use of the games are supposed to improve cognition, and there are studies that show the effectiveness of the training; however, there are also studies that show how the training is not effective at all. With brain games being a new field of study, there are not many studies available, so there are many discontinuities among results. The purpose of this paper is to explore the different findings from various studies of brain games and their efficacy, and offer insight as to why the discrepancies exist. Brain games are a form of cognitive training and are specifically designed to train the brain by taking advantage of a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is defined on MedicineNet as the â€Å"brain s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life,† and it â€Å"allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment† (Neuroplasticity). Cognitive training is anything the works out the muscles of the brain: reading is a form of cognitive training. For this reason, not all games should be considered brain games because mostShow MoreRelatedHow Can Society Assist Successful Aging?1586 Words   |  7 Pagesassist successful aging? This question or quest has been a topic of great interest within the last decade. Brain-training is an approach that has risen out of this interest in helping people age ‘well’. Brain training consists of specific activities and simulations that aim to maintain or improve a specific cognitive function. The following essay will address the question, how ca n brain training programs assist in successful aging? In particular, this essay will address this question with a specificRead MoreThe Effect Of Video Training On Brain Training Essay1521 Words   |  7 Pagesrecent years, brain training games have become a topic of interest among both researchers and common people alike. Researchers are interested in the healing properties of brain training while normal people are looking towards brain training as a way to improve their performance and get a leg up on the competition in school, work, and life. Up until recently, it was believed that the brain was unchangeable in terms of memory capacity. Researchers were well aware of the fact that the brain is capableRead MoreAging Is Often Associated With Gradual Cognitive Decline1289 Words   |  6 PagesAging is often associated with gradual cognitive decline which can significantly affect an individual’s quality of life. In Australia, 110, 000 people identified as suffering from demen tia (ABS, 2012). A relatively new intervention that aims to combat this cognitive decline, involves the use of computerised brain training programs. Many studies have shown that cognitive training can improve cognitive function in older adults (Peretz, et al., 2011, p. 91). Having said that, there here have been mixedRead MoreThe Effects Of Training On Brain Training Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pagesrecent years brain training games have become a topic of interest among both researchers and common people alike. Researchers are interested in the healing properties of brain training while normal people are looking to brain training as a way to improve their performance and get a leg up on the competition in school, work, and life. Up until recently, it was believed that the brain was unchangeable in terms of memory capacity. Researchers were well aware of the fact that the brain can change andRead MoreVideo Games Enhance Cognitive Skills1372 Words   |  6 PagesDespite video games b eing known for promoting anger and becoming addictive, it is shown that in recent studies some video games enhance cognitive skills. It is seen that action games enhance cognitive skills and that â€Å"brain training† games do very little in improving these skills because of lack in critical features. In fairly recent studies about neuroplasticity in the brain, Daphne Bavelier and C. Shawn Green stumbled upon a discovery that certain participants were scoring well above averageRead MoreVideo Games Encourage Violent Behavior1177 Words   |  5 Pagesvideo games in general provide something beneficial for the player, they will answer there isn’t any. If anything, they will comment video games encourage negative outcomes, such as obesity, aggressiveness, antisocial behavior and in extreme cases, addiction (Bavelier, Brain training: Games to do you good, 2013). Besides the fact that there is no correlational proof that video games encourage violent behavior, psychologists have proved that some good does come out of playing games. Video games, itRead MoreTraining Programs Essay1534 Words   |  7 PagesWith the advance of the internet, many brain training programs have emerged online, designing to use game and software to exercise its users’ brain. They often claim or imply that these kinds of exercises may improve human’s intelligence and generate benefits on many aspects of life. For example, Lumosity, supposedly having 70 million members, is a brain training program claiming to improve cognitive abilities such as memory and speech processing. However, in 2016, US Federal Trade Commission hadRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Video Games On The Brain1212 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of video games on the brain Video games are a enormous part in the world today. â€Å"More than 150 million people in the United States play video games regularly or for at least three hours per week. The number of sales has increased and in 2016, 24.5 billion games were sold, up from 23.2 billion in 2015.† â€Å"This Type of Video Game May Actually Harm Your Brain.† written by Mahita Gajanan is my positive article and â€Å"How Video Games Affect the Brain.† written by Hannah Nichols is my negative articleRead MoreHow Exercise Is Improved By Executing Aerobic Exercise1356 Words   |  6 Pagesidea is that exercise is associated with increased cognitive performance (Hogan, Mata, Carstensen, 2013). Different aspects of exercise and memory have been studied. One study showed that running had a positive effect on vocabulary learning (Griffin, Mullally, Foley, Warmington, O Mara, Kelly, 2011). Another illustrated how working memory is improved by executing aerobic exercise (Quelhas Martins , Kavussanu , Willoughby , Ring , 2013). Cognitive performance on the Stroop test was also increasedRead MoreComputerized Brain Training Programs Improve Cognitive Function1982 Words   |  8 Pages Do the brain games give the benefit they are said to provide? (Word Count: 1528) Yagna Patel 1001588524 BIO152, 9/27/2014 Prof. F. Rawle TA: Christy Simbeya Rough Essay: I. Introduction: There is a widely held belief that commercially available computerized brain-training programs improve cognitive function. 2 Although society has accepted this correlation of â€Å"brain games† and increased cognitive ability, it has yet to be proven.1 Regardless of this, there has

American Government Exit-polls Free Essays

As per exit polls in Texas are concerned, there were some interesting results that are worth noting regarding the trend of voting. The Democrat beat the Republicans by a substantial margin of close to one million votes with McCain garnering 4, 479, 328 or 55% and Obama 3, 528, 633 or 44%. The voting in terms of age Exit polls in Texas for President showed that of the 47% male voters, Obama got 39% while McCain had 59%, and of the 53% female voters Obama had 47% while McCain got 52%. We will write a custom essay sample on American Government Exit-polls or any similar topic only for you Order Now What was interesting in this exit poll result was the trend in voting by age. Texas exit poll revealed that among ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama earned 54% votes and McCain 45%. Among ages 30-44 (31% of the total votes), Obama had 46% and McCain 52%. Of ages 45-64 (39% of the total votes), Obama got 41% While McCain earned 58%. Finally at 65 and older (14%) Obama had a lowest 32% votes while McCain got a high 66% of the total votes from this age group. The exit polls in Texas reveal important things. 1. That most men in general in this state favored and voted for McCain giving him 59% over Obama with only 39%. 2. That, women in general in this state only slightly favoring McCain giving him a slight edge over Obama at 52% compared to 47%. 3. Among voters ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama gets the upper hand with 54% compared to McCain’s 45 % 4. But among ages 30-44 which comprised 54%, McCain was the stronger candidate. 5. The trend in the voting by age shows that McCain was the top choice among the older voters. Ages 45-64 comprising 39% shows McCain widening his lead over Obama at 58% to 41% 6. Exit poll among ages 65 and older shows Obama further down at 32% compared to McCain’s 66%. 7. That this voting trend favored McCain considering the age bracket of the voters getting older. 8. That obviously this voting trend in the age bracket point to the direction of racial prejudice. 9. The younger generation was more open to accept societal change through conventional leadership styles. 10. That voting by race reveals that voters in Texas votes based on racial preferences. II. A Letter to the President Dear Mr. President: In view of the exit polls in Texas, apparently younger generations voted for you in view of their being open mindedness on the issues affecting our society. However, the same exit poll reveals that Texas voters in general are partisan voters voting merely based on racial preference. I therefore urge that you give particular attention on this observation by showing considerable fairness among the people of Texas despite you loss by a margin of almost a million votes for future reference. I hope for your favorable response on the matter by paying a visit and extend the atmosphere of reconciliation. Sincerely: III. Question on the election trends I believed that the trends in the general election have changed dramatically from previous trends. The change that took place according to CREST (The Centre for Research into Elections and Social Trends) has to do with voters’ attitude that influenced their preferences for the kind of leaders they wanted for their country. In that report, voters chose the leader/s, who could deal with personal issues such as healthcare, economy, social security, gas prices, war in Iraq, political corruption lobbyist, terrorism, taxes, immigration, and environment (Hardy). The voting attitude was greatly influenced by the current issues that affected their country. The new trend I believe will pass on history and will be seen in future presidential elections especially if Obama proves himself as the right president who could correct the inaccuracies in the society. This period is very crucial in the history of the United States and while the new trend in USA election brings remedy to their crisis, the trend will become the basis in choosing government leaders. Reference Hardy, F. W. (9 Jan 2008). Election Issues Excel in America: National Issues Shine in New Hampshire Presidential Primaries. Suite101. com. http://us-elections. suite101. com/article. cfm/election_issues_excel_in_america President Texas. ElectionCenter2008. CNN Politics. com. http://edition. cnn. com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#TXP00 How to cite American Government Exit-polls, Papers

Social Trends In Art Essay Example For Students

Social Trends In Art Essay Art is something which can be analyzed to give deeper insight as to the common values and beliefs shared by the members of a certain society. Regardless of the place of origin or the time period of a form of art, it will always be a reflection of the social structure in which its creator/s lived. However, the way the artist perceives the culture common to his time period is very relative. People pertaining to a higher social class had different values and ideologies than members of a lower class. This different view of life can be seen very clearly in individual forms of art such as painting and music. These specific forms of artistic expression required very little money, thus could be exercised by anyone including members of a lower class. Other forms of art such as architecture and sculpture required more money and in most cases wealthy patrons such as kings or queens. Architecture also required large numbers of workers which often made it hard to see any individual influence in the design, however showed the collective ideology of all of the people involved. The cost of labor and materials was also so great that very affluent members of society were needed to financially support the whole process. Sculpture was also an artistry that required great amounts of material and labor. This resulted in a more normative form of art which portrayed societal aspects in a way that was of interest to the financial backers. By studying both popular and normative art together it is possible to obtain a greater perspective on a specific culture. Outside influences from other countries can also affect the art and the artists of a certain society. As a country sees more and more immigrants from a certain area, the art will begin to reflect the ideologies these outsiders bring in with them. This same change can be seen more drastically in the case of an invasion. The architecture would change drastically, since it is normative art and the new rulers would enforce their own norms and rules. The painting would also change, however less drastically than more official forms of art. This more gradual change could be attributed to the individuals of the country who still retained the old values and customs. These same influences on art would take place if nobility of another country married into the royal family, and was then given heir to the throne. The change would be just as drastic, but departure from old ideologies would be encouraged instead of enforced. In the case of Arab influence in Spain during the eighth century, it was not an invasion rather a gradual settling of this other culture in Spains borders. The change was brought about by the affect this outside influence had on the people of Spain. The new ideas and forms of artistic expression were exciting and intriguing to Spaniards, and eventually they adopted these ideas as their own. The change was seen in all forms of art, especially in the new arches and vivid colors used in Arabic architecture. Any time a new way of life makes itself present in a society, it has an affect on the art. Usually this change is seen mostly in architecture and sculpture, while painting follows behind. The two cultures can also mix together and give rise to a new form of hybrid artistic expression. This mixing of ideas and beliefs is usually most evident in places were the people are trying to choose between the new popular culture, and the old beliefs and values of the country. The Art Of Delegation EssayWhen people see a certain building they know what that building is used for and what that style of architecture signifies. It is also possible to examine architecture and find out more about the society from which it originated. The institutions hailed as important by that society are often built in the official style while other buildings are not. Also, these institutions are often housed in the biggest, most elaborate buildings. Much like painting, the social trends of the time period are often portrayed in architecture. The period of Enlightenment where reason governed most actions, the buildings were built rationally and ever structure served a purpose. The baroque period gave rise to buildings which closely resembled the attitude of the people: the more adornments, the better. Sculpture is a form of art which was often found on buildings as a decoration, or as part of the architecture. Most of the time it was used to portray religious figures in a narrative on the front of a church. The altars inside the church were also made up of mostly small sculptures of religious figures and people. Official sculpture can be found of kings and queens and other important people of the society. Sculpture is helpful in analyzing society partly because it shows a cultures view of the human body. A culture with an interest in the human body is more likely to show the person nude, and use great detail in the artwork. Sculpture also shows what symbols or figures were representative of a society, and how that society used this symbolism in their art. Music is a form of art that is very individual in nature, and because of this is very diverse. There can be many types of music in a certain society, however, the most popular songs will be those that embody the ideas and beliefs of the common people. Musics availability to almost everyone makes it a very popular art form. Someone could make an instrument out of just about anything they could lay their hands on. Singing doesnt even require an instrument, just a voice and some artistic talent. Courtly forms of music show the lifestyles of the rich, affluent members of society, while popular music illustrated that of the common man. Since all of these forms of art are products of society, the driving force behind them are the normative and popular views of life at the time. Although individual expression is always important for any artist, his art wont appeal to the people if it isnt representative of society. This makes art a constant reflection of social trends, whether they be those of common man or those of the king and queen. Studying art can prove helpful in analyzing a specific culture or society because embodies the ideology of the nation.

Rhetorical Essay on the Gettysburg Adress and the Pearl Harbor Adress Essay Example

Rhetorical Essay on the Gettysburg Adress and the Pearl Harbor Adress Essay Gigi R. English 102 6 oct. 2013 Rhetorical Essay Speeches often correlate, especially when they are written for a similar audience in a similar situation. For example, President Franklin Delano Roosevelts Pearl Harbor Address appeals to Americans fear during the time of war. President Roosevelt states what has happened and how it will in turn affect the citizens of America. President Roosevelt also appeals to logic, stating that because America has been attacked, they must engage in World War II. In addition, President Roosevelt ives confidence to American citizens saying that, once they enter into World War II, they will win. Similarly, President Abraham Lincoln empathizes with American citizens. At this time, President Lincoln addresses Americans who have come together to commemorate the lives that America has lost during the Civil War. He encourages Americans to Join together to remember that these men have consecrated this ground. He encourages Americans to take courage and remember that they are together in a great country, Just as President Roosevelt encouraged Americans to continue to take pride in their country and not to be discouraged. Both President Lincoln and Roosevelt use pathos, or emotion, to empathize with American citizens as well as ethos, or credibility, to be able to point out issues because of their positions as presidents. In the Pearl Harbor Address, Franklin D. Roosevelt uses pathos more than logos or ethos to get to the American citizens emotions. He says, Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave anger, letting the American people know that this is a serious matter and we should be cautious. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetorical Essay on the Gettysburg Adress and the Pearl Harbor Adress specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetorical Essay on the Gettysburg Adress and the Pearl Harbor Adress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetorical Essay on the Gettysburg Adress and the Pearl Harbor Adress specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He ends the speech by saying, With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God, bringing the peoples hopes back up again that this attack will not go unpunished. He uses a little bit of ethos by stating who he is when he says, As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navvy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the haracter of the onslaught against us. With this statement he lets the people know how important of a roll he has in the situation, that he knows what he is doing, and that he will take care of things. The first example of pathos that he uses scares the citizens about the situation but it also makes them feel as though something should be done about it. The second example brings their confidence back in that they will win this battle. He appeals to their emotions by making them fear awful things will happen if they do not tight back witn the Japanese. He then gives them selt-assurance that it they do go to war, they will be successful. Although ethos is the weakest of the appeals that he uses, he still states his title by establishing that he is the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navvy. This is good because he did not provide any examples of his moral character so his position as president and as commander and chief is what really gives him credibility in this speech. In the Gettysburg Address that Abraham Lincoln gives during the civil war he also uses pathos the most, since its a war and everyones emotions are scattered. He says The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. He speaks about how the soldiers fought and died to create unity in the country. He then says, It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. By saying this he is trying to motivate the Americans that the country will become unified. In the first example of pathos, Lincoln tugs at American citizens emotions by explaining how the men fought for what they each believed in to try and create a onnected country. In the second example he is trying to motivate the United States to continue to work on the soldiers goal to unify the country. He says, These dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. He doesnt want these soldiers death to go to waste, and the American citizens need to finish what has been started and become a whole again. In both the Pearl Harbor Address and the Gettysburg Address, pathos is the main hetorical point that is used. Since both speeches were by a president during the time of a war, they have several similarities. For instance, because both speeches occur at the height of an American military tragedy, the respective presidents utilize passionate appeals so that the American people feel the heartfelt sorrow and comfort of the Commander and Chief. In addition, these speeches that emphasize pathos have the ability to voice and appeal. They call out for the hearer to respond with greater patriotism. Also, the Gettysburg Address is a turning point for President Lincoln to unite the war torn country. His use of pathos gives him a way to communicate how the county needs healing. President Roosevelts address on Pearl Harbor has the power to move the emotions of Americans into war. Roosevelt pushes the buttons of the citizens on an emotional level to move a county into action. Both speeches encouraging that the county needs to build its self back together and heal. In that way these speeches are timeless examples of the emotional power of the use of pathos in speeches in American history.