The effect of n-back task on increasing working memory capacity and transfer effects on other cognitive processes

This study aimed that, investigate the effects of n-back task on working memory, attention, and the ability of problem solving and it's near and far transfer effects through neuropsychological tests and some scales. For this study, 39 female and 19 male, in totally 56 participants, who were undergraduate Psychology students in Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, were participated. In order to measure the effects of n-back task, participants were subjected to pre-test and post-test. Between the pre-test and post-test, the n-back task was applied to the experimental group for 5 working days a week, an avrage of half an hour a day, 5 weeks in total and no procedure was applied to the control group. To measure of near and far transfer effects, Wechsler Memory Scale-III Letter Number Sequencing Subtest, Wechsler Memory Scale-III Spatial Span Subtest, Stroop Test TBAG Version, Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, Test of Tower of London, and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-R Arithmetic Subtest were obtained as pre-post tests. In addition, Adult Motivation Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Need for Cognition Scale were taken into account in order to evaluate individual differences. For data analysis, Mixed Repeated Measures of ANOVA was used. According to the results, n-back training has near and far transfer effects. Findings from the research were discussed within the light of literature and suggestions were proposed for future studies.