Using Variable Priority Training to Examine Video Game-Related Gains in Cognition.

OBJECTIVES: Identify mechanisms associated with video-game-related gains in cognitive functioning. METHOD: Seventy-nine older adults (Mean age = 72.72, SD = 7.16) participated in a pretest-posttest intervention study. A video game that required four cognitive abilities was developed. The game had two modes: (1) variable priority training (VPT) and (2) single priority training (SPT). After a pretest session, participants completed a battery of cognitive tasks and 'were randomly assigned to either the VPT (n = 42) or the SPT mode (n = 37) for an average of 15.94 (SD = 2.15) one-hour game play sessions. Post-testing was administrated within one week after completion of training. RESULTS: Time (pretest/posttest) by game mode (VPT/SPT) interactions were examined using Multivariate Repeated Measure ANOVAs. No significant multivariate training effects were observed. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that VPT may not be the underlying mechanism responsible for video-game-related gains in cognition. Our results also cast doubts on whether playing video games could lead to cognitive enhancements in older adults.

Aging farmers are at high risk for injuries and fatalities: how human-factors research and application can help.

Agriculture is a dangerous profession with an aging population, combining age-related changes in physical and cognitive abilities with complex tasks performed under hazardous conditions. There are three general approaches to reducing injuries: designing for safety, providing positive reinforcement in prevention programs, and making safety a family affair.