New Youth Enhancing Video Game

       Remember the days when your parents told you to stop playing so many video games? Well now they should start playing more video games. According to a study by Anguera et al. (2013) a video game called ‘NeuroRacer’ has the ability to improve multitasking, attention, and memory in older adults, so much so that they are more proficient than their younger counterparts in their 20's.

      

      Your ability to multitask steadily declines from your 20's until you're about 79, at which time you’ll probably have started to notice that you’re not as sharp as you used to be; puzzles seem harder, calculating the tip on your dinner bill takes you longer, you've forgotten your wallet at home more times that you’d like to admit, and some days you just can’t seem to stay focused. You may even catch yourself mentally-snarling at younger people, who seem like they're constantly on their phones while listening to music, while having a conversation, while eating dinner. Sounds horrible right? 

        Let’s face it, we now live in a technology-dense world, where multitasking has not only become a standard in our everyday lives, but it’s almost become a necessary skill to keep up with our fast paced environments. The bad news? The older you get, the worse you get. The good news? Video games can help!

A screenshot of NeuroRacer

       Scientists have found that video game training with games like NeuroRacer, a driving game in which participants are asked to drive while shown different road signs for 1 hour every other day for 3-4 weeks, have helped older adults to learn how to eliminate the distractions in doing two things at once, increasing their ability to multitask, their memory, and their attention, as well as their response time while multitasking. When the participants were compared with younger video game players, the older participants actually scored higher in the game. The video game training also induced neuroplasiticity, or brain plasticity (the brains reorganization of itself throughout life by forming new connections), meaning that the video game helped the participant’s brains to re-wire themselves in a way that makes them more efficient at performing the tasks.

       So, when the day comes when you start feeling like you may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, it may be time to take a page out of your child’s book and turn on the video game console.

Interested in reading more? The article can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v501/n7465/abs/nature12486.html

J. A. Anguera, J. Boccanfuso, J. L. Rintoul, O. Al-Hashimi, F. Faraji, J. Janowich, E. Kong, Y.
       Larraburo, C. Rolle, E. Johnston, and A. Gazzaley (2013). Video game training enhances
       cognitive control in older adults. Nature:10.1038/nature12486 

-Jesica Mikkila

'Boomeranging' Back Home

 

Parents dreaming of finally becoming empty nesters? Young adults finishing school and yearning for independence? According to a new study in Great Britain, it may not be happening as soon as we hope.

      A recent UK study has examined major life ‘turning points’ and factors that cause young adults to return to their parent’s home. Recently, the media has drawn a great deal of attention to the idea of an increase in young adults ‘boomeranging’ back to the parental home, although research for this phenomenon has been virtually non existent until now.  

      Drs. Juliet Stone, Ann Berrington and Jane Falkingham of the University of Southampton sought to clarify this seemingly backward transition, and examine these ‘turning points’ that contribute to the decision to return home.

      The researchers found that leaving higher education, relationship breakups and unemployment were all significant factors in young adults returning to live with their parents.

      Using the British Household Panel Study, which was created to examine changes in social and economic status of individuals between 1991-2008, the team was able to collect data from over 5,000 twenty and thirty year old males and females living away from home. Data was compiled on the young adults’ living situation, education, employment status, as well as relationship status and if they had children.

       In all categories, men were more likely than women to return home, most especially for males in their early twenties. To parents reading this article and groaning, there is light at the end of the tunnel– these findings decrease with age! Young adults returning to the parental home decreases rapidly once they reach their mid 20’s. 

The research also found that:

•        Men and women who move out of student status are the most likely group to return home, even more so if unemployed after education.
•        Men and women who move out of student status to employment are still highly likely to move home in comparison to those who remained still employed or still in school.

Another factor strongly related to returning to the parental home was relationship breakups, which are majorly influenced by gender and parenthood. The study demonstrated:

•        Both men and women are more likely to return home after a break up than those who are single or in a new relationship
•        After a break up, men with children are the most likely to return home, in comparison to women with children or dissolved partnerships with no children.

        For specific age groups, returning home is the norm if experiencing a certain ‘turning point’ in life. In reality,  ‘boomeranging’ as a young adult in their early 20’s due to completing school, a relationship ending or becoming unemployed is not uncommon.

       However, despite what the media says, the overall trend of  young adults returning home tends to be a relatively rare event, and has not significantly increased in the past few years, as we have been led to believe.

       So what does this mean for young adults and parents alike?  Parents, if you have a child finishing higher education with no current job prospects, it may be time to convert that new work out room you spent hours on back into the old bedroom.   

       For young adults, it may be wise to sit and discuss matters before returning home. While moving home can save money and relieve some financial burdens, this can often be a stressful time for both parents and children alike – impacting your relationships, as well as the identity you have previously formed while living independently.  Whatever the reason for your return home, be sure to thank your parents for so graciously opening their ‘nest’ up to you again, when you come flying back!

Need some tips on how to survive moving back in? Check out this link!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/10152861/End-of-university-how-to-survive-moving-home.html

Stone, J., Berrington, A., & Falkingham, J. (2013). Gender, Turning Points, and Boomerangs:

         Returning Home in Young Adulthood in Great Britain. Demography, 1(10), 1-20. 

-Kendra Di Bacco

Want to be Seen as Better Looking? Barney Stinson May be Able to Help.

    Neil Patrick Harris (pictured right) is a talented actor likely best known for his portrayal of the womanizing ladies' man Barney Stinson on the television show How I Met Your Mother. One of his comedic trademarks is Barney's tendency to concoct bizarre theories about dating in his romantic pursuits, but it looks like this time he has attracted the interest of researchers. A theory the character created called the “cheerleader effect” is the prime subject of a research paper released by Walker and Vul (2013) entitled “Hierarchical Encoding Makes Individuals in a Group Seem More Attractive”. As bizarre as it seems, it looks like the evidence may support Barney's theory. True story.

    The “cheerleader effect”, as Barney put it, is the idea that people look more attractive when in a group than they do on their own. For example, any individual member of a cheerleading squad is going to be seen as more desirable when surrounded by other cheerleaders and less desirable when alone. To test this concept, Walker and Vul (2013) showed both male and female participants photographs containing only members of the opposite sex and had them rate how appealing each face was on a scale from “Unattractive” to “Attractive”. The trick was that each photo would only be shown for a few seconds before disappearing, at which point participants were asked to give their rating. What the researchers also did was show each face as part of a group as well as having participants rate the same face cropped out of the group picture. Basically, each face used in the study was rated by the same participant twice. One rating for the individual face and another for that same individual's face within the larger group picture. By comparing the ratings between how each face was rated shown alone versus shown in a group the researchers were able to see if there indeed was evidence for a “cheerleader effect”.

Anyone with a bad yearbook
photo may be comforted to
know it could have been worse.

    As it turns out, Walker and Vul (2013) did indeed find evidence to support the idea that people's faces are viewed as more attractive when seen as part of a group. This effect also persisted when the researchers took isolated headshots that were not from the same photo and arranged them yearbook style. Even though these faces were not part of a “natural group” simply presenting them together was enough to make individual faces look better (according to participant's ratings). They also tried shortening the amount of time participants had to view the faces and found that the “cheerleader effect” was still present. These results seem to suggest that there's something about groups of faces that cause people to give out higher attraction ratings, but what could it be?

    The researchers have a theory that may shed some light on just why the grouped faces are rated higher than the same faces presented alone. Walker and Vul (2013) say that when people see objects in a group they tend to combine the objects to form, in this case, an average sort of  "group face" that represents the larger bunch. The negative effect that certain features (such as an unsightly mole or a big nose) have on someone's appearance tend to get diminished when the individual's face is averaged out to fit in with the group. Because of this people are more likely to find the individual person better looking since the "group face" has mentally smoothed over some of the rough patches and averaged out their features. This effect was also demonstrated in the study when the researchers performed the exact same photo experiment as before, but had the faces that participants were supposed to rate blurred. Faces that had been blurred were still rated as better when part of a group versus alone, but even more surprising is that blurred faces were rated as more attractive than non-blurred faces! It would appear that being viewed as “average” really isn't all that bad.

Here we see a comedic example of the "cheerleader effect" from the 2011 film Hall Pass.

    Now that you've got the knowledge, all you have to do is put it to work. For anyone looking to increase their odds at the dating game, here are a few effortless tricks you could try which use the findings from this research. Haven't had any luck at the bar? Walker and Vul (2013) would suggest bringing a few wingmen or wingwomen along to help complement your facial features. Nervous about asking someone out on a date? Try making it a group date to take the pressure off and to earn yourself a few beauty points thanks to the “cheerleader effect”. Not getting enough likes on your Facebook selfies? Is your online dating profile collecting more dust than dates? Maybe try swapping your profile picture out with a group shot to spice things up a bit. The world's your oyster now that you've got a scientific secret to seduce your sweetheart! Just remember the “cheerleader effect” and, as Barney would say, be awesome.

- Canaan Legault

Walker, D., & Vul, E. (2013). Hierarchical encoding makes individuals in a group seem more attractive. Psychological Science,doi:10.1177/0956797613497969

Mario Really is Super: Have Fun Saving the Princess while Improving your Brain

If you watch a lot of television or are a frequent user of websites with commercials (such as YouTube), then you may have seen an advertisement for something called Lumosity. Lumosity is a subscription based “brain training” program that uses game-like exercises with the aim of helping one improve core cognitive functions (such as memory, attention, and processing speed). Yet while Lumosity (and other “brain training” games) aims to make brain training more fun and immersive, it is apparent that these programs are about training first and fun second. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, games designed in this way could be susceptible to losing their novelty quickly, at which point the only motivating factor for playing the game would be brain training (in contrast to playing a game because it is fun or novel). With this in mind, let us consider the following question: what do games designed for fun do for your brain?

In a recent study, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Germany tested the effects of daily video game “training” on participants with little to no prior video game experience. In this study, 23 participants played the Nintendo DS version of the well-known game Super Mario 64 for at least 30 minutes a day over a two-month period. The researchers found that those who played Super Mario 64 over the two-month period (in comparison to a group of participants who did not) exhibited significantly larger grey matter increases (in comparison to no-increases or decreases) in brain areas associated with spatial processing and navigation (right hippocampus), motor skill acquisition (cerebellum), and the facilitation of relevant action based on sensory information, rules and rewards (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). Furthermore, they found that these increases (in all but the motor skill acquisition brain area) were greater in participants who reported a stronger desire to play.

           As a result of this, the effects of video game engagement in cognitive training may be worth looking into further. Going back to Lumosity, one of the key scientific underpinnings of such training is the idea of neuroplasticity (which, put simply, means that our brain can change/develop based on what we expose it to…the more we do certain things, the better we become at them). In the study described above, the authors mention that there is evidence that increased dopamine (a chemical that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers that can be increased through pleasurable activities) levels can be related to improvements in brain plasticity for some areas in the brain (including the right hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex mentioned above). As such, the cognitive benefits that are inherently present in games like Super Mario 64 may be further facilitated by the fact that the game is enjoyable, rather than just a training experience.

            So why does this research matter and who does it matter to? Firstly, this research matters because it provides evidence that video games do not have to possess a ‘training first’ approach to contain cognitive benefits (although admittedly this would help in targeting the areas of the brain one wishes to train). Secondly (and possibly more interestingly), this research matters because it provides evidence that someone’s desire to play a game can also play a role in facilitating the process of neuroplasticity (and thus grey matter growth) in certain areas of the brain. When considering possible applications of these research, both of these points are worthy of consideration. For example, the second point could be of particular importance to educational software producers. If producers could find ways to incorporate specific aspects of cognitive training into the core aspects of a game that is fun and keeps people engaged, not only will they get people “training” longer, but the fact that people are having fun may further facilitate any cognitive benefits that the game would provide (improving results while blurring the lines between fun-first and training-first games). Furthermore, both points could also be important in developing clinical applications. For example, grey matter loss in some of the brain areas mentioned earlier has been associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. With regards to this, the researchers from the study above mention that the observed neuroplastic effects of video game training could mean that such training could be used in interventions that aim to counteract risk factors for mental disease. In this case, the engagement that video games provide could also be important, as patients may be more motivated to stick with a video game based treatment program in comparison to a traditional treatment program.

At the end of the day however, most people do not play video games for training, they play because it is fun, and with that in mind I say have fun exploring, racing, battling, solving puzzles, strategizing, and/or fixing the problems of a galactic civilization in whatever virtual world you like to play in, because you may gain more than just a smile on your face.

-Rylan Waring

Kühn, S., Gleich, T., Lorenz, R. C., Lindenberger, U., & Gallinat, J. (2013). Playing Super Mario induces structural brain plasticity: gray matter changes resulting from training with a commercial video game. Molecular Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi:10.1038/mp.2013.120

Picking Up Our Dropouts

            There are few things in life as important as a good education. Our education provides us with a foundation upon which to build our careers. Without a solid base, it is unlikely that our efforts to create a fulfilling career will come to fruition. There are exceptions of course, as we have all heard stories of self-made millionaires who dropped out of high school to create a business empire, but these anecdotes are certainly not the rule. For those of us who are not quite so naturally business savvy, a formal education can give us the skills and knowledge necessary to gain the experience needed to meet our career goals. So why would we give up on our education? More specifically, why are kids dropping out of high school and what can be done to help?

            In many ways, high school is our first foray into adult life. No longer are we under the supervision of a single teacher who is in some ways acting like a parental figure. Instead, we set off from class to class, begin to choose our own path, form friendships outside our class group, and are often left to our own devices. It is at this point that students begin to realize that they have a choice in their education: they can choose what courses they take, whether or not to attend their classes, and even whether they want to be in school at all (legally, after they turn 16). What can be done to help these students make the right choices? How can we keep them engaged?

            The first step in coming up with a solution to a problem like high school dropout rates is to understand the effects of dropping out, what kids are most at risk and why. This may seem like a simple task at first, but as soon as we look at the numbers, the complexity of this problem is readily apparent. A review of the statistics surrounding high school dropouts by Heather-Jane Robertson (2006) sheds some light on the situation. First the good news: dropout rates have been in decline, (7% between 1990/1991 and 2006). However, this decline has slowed over recent years. Although this number is moving in the right direction, there are still issues for the nearly 10% of Canadian students who decide to drop out of school. In 2009/2010, dropouts earned on average, $70 less a week than their graduated peers (Gilmore, 2010). This is not a small difference. The lower a person’s income, the more each dollar counts. A difference of 70 dollars can prevent a person from eating healthily, purchasing important prescription medications, or simply enjoying the small purchases that many of us take for granted, like hot coffee on a cold winter morning.

            When discussing the different factors that put students at an increased risk for dropping out, family circumstances are often listed. As Robertson (2006) points out, this includes students who come from single-parent families, have parents who have not completed postsecondary education and have a substantially lower family income. However, Family circumstances are not the only factors that help to determine who is at risk of dropping. Psychological and personality factors including low self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-mastery also play a role. It is no surprise that students’ beliefs about their own abilities may impact their decision to stay in school. Both family background and psychological factors can help us predict who may be at risk for dropping out, but why do these kids ultimately decide to leave school?

            Attitudes toward school may be behind students’ decision to leave school prematurely. When asked about their continuing education goals, dropouts are more likely to believe that they were not “smart enough” to excel in a college setting. They also view school as an unfriendly place with unfair disciplinary policies and choose to hang out with like-minded students. Male

dropouts in particular are likely to report “getting into trouble” at school, while females are more often affected by life circumstances such as having a dependent child. It is easy to see why school becomes a place where some students would rather not be. Future dropouts certainly seem to view school as an unwelcome environment; nearly a quarter of all dropouts report having been kicked out of school, being sent to the principal’s office and skipping classes on a weekly basis. So what can be done to help Canadian high school students finish their secondary education? We know the implications and difficulties of dropping out of high school, we have a basic understanding of who drops out and why, but we are still failing a substantial proportion of these students. One of the most sobering statistics reported by Robertson (2006) surrounding drop out rates is that at the age of 15, 59% of future dropouts expressed a desire to attend a post-secondary institution. These kids are not simply saying “to hell with school”, they are being left behind, and that needs to change.

            So what can we do? Firstly, we need to stop blaming the schools, the teachers, the parents, the administrators, and certainly not the students themselves. Instead we should look for solutions that have worked in other areas and settings. We also need to understand that within-school measures are not going to be sufficient to tackle this problem. A structured support system needs to be built around these students, one that not only exists within the school, but within the community and at home as well. We know that home life can adversely affect a student’s performance, but why can’t we help to ensure that it does the opposite? By reaching out to parents and involving them in their kids education, explaining the outcomes of poor academic performance, and teaching them the tools to help support their child’s academic performance, we can help students to recognize the importance of their education.

            Another valuable resource at every school are the students who are doing well. Mentoring and support groups can help students gain the skills and knowledge to succeed at their class work, and thereby change their perceptions of the school environment itself. School seems a lot more welcoming when you are doing well and feeling prepared. How many of the negative attitudes expressed by dropouts are simply due to anxiety? By helping students feel prepared, supporting them both at school and at home, and by simply recognizing that despite their outward expressions of disdain, anger or indifference these kids really do want to succeed and make something of their lives, we can pick our potential drop outs back up and set them on a path toward a fulfilling future.

-Chad Buckland

Robertson, H. J. (2006). Dropouts or leftouts? School leavers in Canada. Phi Delta

        Kappan, 87(9), 715-717. Retrieved from

        http://www.kappanmagazine.org/content/87/9/715.short

Gilmore, J. (2010). Trends in dropout rates and the labour market outcomes of 

        young dropouts. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004

        x/2010004/article/11339-eng.htm

Meditation and Sense of Time

To Do lists are a commonly used tools by many people to organize and prioritize tasks in their lives that need to be completed. Unfortunately what a lot people tend to end up with are more tasks on their lists than check marks for completion.  There is no doubt this is a usual occurrence in the lives of undergraduate students as their common complaints include the lack of time they feel they have. More and more students complain they do not have enough time to do all their readings, assignments and study for exams as much as they need to. There just isn’t enough time in a day to get everything on their To Do lists done or at least done to their preferred quality.  This can also be seen on the To Do lists in the lives of people not on the university campus as well.  The same thoughts may cross the mind of a busy working parent as they try to make it to the grocery store, get the Christmas shopping done and make time for their family while still ensuring they work their 40 hour work week. At some point it all just becomes too much and we think “there has to be more time in a day.” Perhaps the solution to this problem is tricking your mind into thinking time isn’t passing you as fast as it is, making your mind believe time is moving slower. Now how exactly can this be done? 

A recently published study provides support for the use of mediation to accomplish this goal.  Kramer, Weger and Sharma (2013) examined the effect of a specific type of meditation, mindfulness meditation, on individual’s s perception of time. It was found that individuals who participated in a ten minute mindfulness meditation breathing exercise came to report longer perceived durations of time elapsing than did individuals who instead listened to an audio tape of the Hobbit novel. Individuals who were part of the meditation exercise later perceived more time passing by as measured by the reported length of time they stated they saw a circle displayed on a computer screen. The overestimation of time experienced by the meditators resulted from an attentional shift that meditation promotes.

Mindfulness meditation and related mindfulness exercises trace back to Buddhist origins that emphasize the necessity of being in the here and now. The importance of the exercises is to remain focused on the present, maintaining your thoughts on what you are currently experiencing rather than thoughts of the past or future. Meditation is known for promoting attention, reducing stress and promoting relaxation. It has also been found to be helpful in the treatment of anxiety and depression symptoms and is used in some clinical treatments for patients. However the study by Kramer et al., (2013) was the first of its kind to examine the impact meditation could have on perceptions of time and uncovered some interesting results that could be part of an important step in treatment usage and furthers the understanding of the positive benefits of meditating. 

            So what does this mean for the busy undergraduate students and the hectic full time working moms out there? Well it means that giving yourself some time each week to partake in mindfulness meditation could give yourself that piece of mind that perhaps you do have time to cross a few more tasks off that To Do list, it allows your mind to slow down and  to let you take in what is happening around you. It would be recommended that while performing the meditation you should avoid thinking of the grocery list or next week’s reading that needs to be done and instead focus on your breathing as it happens and the relaxation that comes over your body. 

Meditation is growing in popularity both in everyday practice as well in clinical approaches with the use of meditation for treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms. More and more people are coming to understand the relaxation benefits and overall health benefits of meditation.With the added understanding of the connection of meditation with time; the Buddhist based practice of meditating may have even more modern uses. So slow down the clock by taking a few minutes a day to allow your body to get back in tune with the here and now. Your To Do list is sure to thank you. 

 

Katie Hart

Hoffman, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy         on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 169–183.

Kramer, R. S. S., Weger, U. W., & Sharma, D. (2013). The effect of mindfulness meditation on   time perception. Consciousness and Cognition, 22(3), 846-852. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.008.