Yeah it is kind of hard to understand the game from reading that one. Here is another page and this one sort of explains it better. (http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back). At first i didn't realize the n-"step" you were playing on meant you needed to remember n events backwards to confirm matches... if that makes any sense. It did seem fun after I got the hang of it.
Hello there, I have not read it all but I will explain my opinion here because I have this condition, too.
Brother, problem with us is that we try to please others and we believe that our brain is damaged. Day 188 for me and I see just minor improvement in conversations.
I know its hard. We created block that is holding us back. 3 years ago when I still was drinking I noticed that I could converse like a boss, but only when I was drunk. Our brain is fine, but we believe that we cannot converse, and our subconscious, will make it happen. We need to persuade ourselves that we are great conversationalists, but this is not possible in short time. Once you will believe to it your converse skills will be as good as others people if not better.
Unless you will deeply believe it you will be freezing. Personally when I talk I fake it and other feel it. Last week I decided to keep my mouth shut, and only speak when I feel like it. I see different approach of other people to me and to others. When they speak with me they are numb, but when they speak with others they are normal. So there is problem inside me. And I´m fine about it, I won´t fake anything again, I have always spoke little and I don´t care.
Otherwise If you want it change you need to practice, and once you will believe that you are good......
Sorry for repetition :-D
EDIT: You mentioned here you were happiest kid ever. What different have you done before?
EDIT 2: http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back
I don´t know if it works, but hopefully yes. Gonna try it myself. It was in one reply to my comment by another kind user. I dont know if it works but it says it has these benefits:
easier to get a hold of a discussion
better verbal fluency
faster reading with better understanding
better concentration and focus
better dream recall
improvements in piano playing
It's secular Buddhism, it's not starting a new religion. There is no dogma, no hierarchies, no masses, no belief structures. Just you and meditation. It's a science of consciousness. You can practice samatha vipassana meditation (concentration mindfulness in Pali), work towards Enlightenment, and it will not interfere with your religion. Don't be so quick to brush things off. Samatha vipassana meditation is the single greatest thing I've done for my injured brain and history of trauma. The tools I learned from dedicated practice to concentration mindfulness has saved my life countless times. It's what the whole mindfulness idea in therapy is based off of.
Check out n-back exercises. They helped me with my memory immensely.
Memory is an issue I struggle with (and it's the measure my MS center uses to gauge general cognitive issues - GREAT) so I've been working on the "mind palace" technique to improve my rote memorization. I got "average" on their last assessment and freaked out - perils of being an adult who was a childhood good test taker (and moderate perfectionist). I know that's breaking the spirit of the assessment but I can't deal! Here's an article that I liked: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/24/upshot/an-ancient-and-proven-way-to-improve-memory-go-ahead-and-try-it.html
I was also doing Dual N Back a few years ago, and it was both fun and frustrating! I think it may have helped, though. Check that out here: http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back There are also good apps for it in the app store.
My husband is really into this stuff so we try a lot of different ones, these two have been his favorites though.
See how well you do with a game like Dual N Back. It's a great exercise in general, but also a good way to see what your working memory is like.
From what you say, it sounds like your long term memory is on point. That's awesome. Dual N Back would be more focused on short term memory due to the ongoing changing of the information you're trying to hold on to.
n-back is the only method that I know that has any statistical correlation with general intelligence.
The research I have read specifically on this issue points to dual n-back (with n greater than or equal to 2. So dual 2-back being the simplest case with any statistical correlation) as being potentially more benificial. Unfortunately these correlations are quite small.
Edit: And the task is incredibly difficult. And benefits in some studies disappear when you stop the training. And upping the n has diminishing returns.
Edit 2: And did I mention that dual 2-back is incredibly hard? Right.
>Unlike many other brain training exercises Dual N-Back is proven to transfer training results to other brain activities.
http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back
Not fun by any means btw. More like what I would imagine an exercise would be like if education was militarized.
You're not chunking, because you are not finding a pattern in each set of three.
The strategy you could be using is rehearsal. Are you rapidly repeating the last set of three in your mind, or does it just sit there until you access it in the next comparison? If you repeat it rapidly, you're rehearsing. That's bad (really not the worst though). If it just sits there until the next comparison, you're not rehearsing, good.
Unless there is another "cheating" strategy I don't know about, you're fine. I do the same thing (currently on n=3).
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Strategies: http://brainscale.net/blog/n-back/the-perfect-n-back-training/82.
Yes, that's probably a true statement; if we don't imagine consequences, we aren't motivated to change.
A for my memory... It's tricky. I just turned 50; my siblings are early 50s and mid 40s. I first became concerned about memory in my early 30s... such that I saw a neurologist and had a battery of tests. I tested well above average despite my concerns. With the benefit of hindsight and becoming aware of others' abilities, I realize that I had no idea that I had a completely remarkable memory in my youth, recalling details that no one remembered, and being shocked at how easily others forgot things. In my late 30s and 40s I think my memory more normalized to "average." Again, my benchmark is my siblings, parents, coworkers.
But the last 5 -7 years, what I would label full-blown AUD, my memory is of great concern to me. Especially working memory. I do hope to realize some improvements here. I haven't made any concerted training effort yet but I plan to.
There's tons of companies out there that are trying to steal your money, but arguably the best working memory trainer out there is free. It's called the Dual N-Back. But it takes discipline. About 3 sessions a day (adding up to about 15-20 minutes total).
Try one at http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back
> I am extremely lazy.... like really lazy
That is a fixable problem.
> I have a short memory.
No. You're lacking discipline and motivation and you might not know how you learn best. That too is a fixable problem.
> I have no motivation but really want to start coding/programming.
Motivation is completely irrelevant. If you really wanted to start programming you would have already.
> I've already spent $30 CAD on a C++ book that I've tried, and failed
Don't buy books if you don't have to. ;)
Here is an article from Scientific American.
You can increase your intelligence: 5 ways to maximize your cognitive potential
The article mentions dual N-back training. It also mentions a study called "Improving Fluid Intelligence with Training on Working Memory" which found that
Your fluid intelligence is your capacity to learn new information. So, if you're serious about it, try dual N-back training for a while. It will help improve your memory and your ability to learn. Then, go to Kahn Academy or wherever to learn new things.
You can read about it here since my explanations aren't always the best: http://brainscale.net/dual-n-back
It's said to have the ability to increase IQ and other measures of intelligence. I'm not sure I believe that, but what I do know is that it's the only thing that has ever made my brain feel tired. Sort of like a brain workout.
I have noticed after doing it for a few weeks that words seem to flow better, but I can't say for certain whether or not it's related.
I find it fun though, in a weird monotonous sort of way.
"Fluid intelligence or fluid reasoning is the capacity to think logically and solve problems in novel situations, independent of acquired knowledge." There is some more info on wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_and_crystallized_intelligence As for practical exercises to get better at it, try Dual N-Back tasks and Complex Working Memory tasks (you can find both here: http://brainscale.net/) It's a lot easier to study after 2 months of these. I don't know if this is a placebo or not, but it works. (Some more info on DNB: http://www.gwern.net/DNB%20FAQ#benefits) I'm sorry for the late response, hope you find it useful if you haven't done a research already.