Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language 305Applying Psychology to Everyday Life
Mental and Physical Exercises for Better
Cognitive Health
7.15 Identify some methods for improving your cognitive health.
You may have heard the saying “use it or lose it” and likely think of it in terms of maintaining
physical fitness. But it is not limited to that; in many regards, the saying applies as well to
our ability to maintain cognitive fitness. However, just as there is a difference between physi-
cal activity and physical exercise, there is a difference in mental activity and mental exercise.
Quite a few computerized brain-training programs and devices have hit the market in
the last few years. In addition, a lot of attention in the media has focused on the benefits
of specific computer-based brain exercises you can do to improve your cognitive fitness.
While some are more scientifically grounded and offer the possibility of real benefits, many
more appear to be riding the current wave of interest and may not be useful. For some
individuals, practicing certain mental skills through cognitive exercises appears to help with
those same skills when tested later. In general, however, research has not identified any
benefits that transfer to untrained areas (A. M. Owen et al., 2010). Just as being physically
active in general will not make you an Olympic athlete, to tune up your cognitive fitness you
may have to perform proper, focused cognitive exercises.
Wait a minute! You just said most skills don’t transfer.That’s correct, some do not, but just as in physical training, if you select the proper
foundational exercises, you may be able to improve some higher-level cognitive functions.