Investigating the effects of manual cognitive trainingmethod on cognitive processes among healthy individuals

In recent years, one of the issues in cognitive psychology has been the cognitive training, namely the working memory training. Working memory stores information and it also processes stored information and transfers it to long-term memory. Since, it processes information, it plays an important role for perception, attention, language, problem solving, naming, calculation and realization of cognitive processes and determining the quality of cognitive performance in those matters. Therefore, working memory has an important role on focusing on a task, planning, problem solving, and verbal functions to perform operations, problems of school, social life and daily life. Cognitive training, which involves in various cognitive tasks is constituted for individuals to use their cognitive function better. In this study we use manual cognitive training to examine whether it is effective on the healthy individuals. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of manual cognitive training method on cognitive processes among healthy individuals. 52 healthy college students participate to the research. We use one experimental and one control group. There are 26 participants in each group. The participants are selected randomly. We use different neuropsychological tests to measure the effect of cognitive training by Repeated Measures ANOVA. Result show that manual cognitive training method has a positive effect on analytical thinking, problem solving, focused attention, sustained attention and fluid intelligence but it does not have any effect on some other cognitive ability. Key words: Cognitive training, cognitive processes, Working Memory,Neuropsychological Tests.