Broad and sustained transfer effects of executive n-back working memory training

Working memory training (WMT) is one of the most widely studied areas in cognitive training. A central concern in WMT research is the transferability of training effects, which remains a topic of ongoing debate. Recently, an executive n-back paradigm, which increases the manipulation of working memory load, has been proposed as a more suitable approach to assess working memory. In the present study, we examined whether executive n-back training, compared to traditional n-back training, led to broader transfer effects across cognitive tasks. Over six daily sessions, participants completed either the executive n-back task or the traditional n-back task. The findings demonstrated that executive n-back training transferred to the Operation Span task, which also measures working memory but differs structurally from the n-back task, and to the task switching, which assesses cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, these transfer effects persisted even after a 3-month interval. These findings suggest that the executive n-back task is more effective than the traditional n-back task. Moreover, this research sheds light on the potential applications of executive n-back training in enhancing cognitive functions more generally, highlighting its utility in both clinical and educational settings where cognitive flexibility and working memory improvements are critical.