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IQ an reasonin

Can brain trainin improve yer IQ?

Practisin yer workin memory can improve performance on related tasks, but research disna establish a predictable personal IQ gain. Reviews gie different estimates for wider reasonin skills, dependin on the trainin, participants an comparison activities. Review o workin memory, N-back review

Test yersel (Inglis)
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Bi the Helibrain teamLast checked

Key evidence an nummers

Comparison an outcome reviewedStandardised mean effect, g95% confidence interval
Workin-memory trainin: non-verbal ability versus treated controls0.05−0.02 tae 0.13
Workin-memory trainin: non-verbal ability versus untreated controls0.200.11 tae 0.28
N-back trainin: fluid reasonin, mixed control types0.160.08 tae 0.24

Sources: review o workin memory, immediate-transfer table, N-back review, domain analysis. Treated controls did anither trainin activity; untreated controls didnae get comparable trainin. Thir are standardised group differences, no IQ points or a range o expected personal gains. The N-back review's estimate for reasonin got smawer an uncertain efter adjustment for control type.

Whit affects it?

The wider review includes different ages an workin-memory tasks; the N-back review focuses on healthy adults. Study selection, analysis an control activities help explain the different estimates. Review o workin memory, N-back review

Gie the related free test a try

N-back test

Test yersel: N-back (Inglis). Use it tae explore how tae update information in yer memory, wi nae promised IQ increase.

Test yersel (Inglis)

Common questions

Is gettin better at the gemme a real improvement?

It is improvement at that task. Improvement in anither ability needs its ain evidence.

Do thir figures cover ilka kind o brain trainin?

They are aboot the stated workin-memory trainin an reasonin outcomes. They shouldnae be applied tae ilka learnin activity.

Does an interval that includes nae effect prove there's nae benefit at aa?

Naw. It shows uncertainty aroond the estimate. It disnae support a guaranteed personal gain.

Sources

Cite this page: Can brain trainin improve yer IQ?. Helibrain. 2026. https://helibrain.com/sco/answers/can-brain-training-improve-iq. CC BY 4.0.

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