Do any of you guys use things like Luminosity or Happify?

These came out a few years ago and are subscription based, they are supposed to make you smarter and/or happier, they seem like a scam but sometimes all it takes is a little self belief to make things happen and I can see these helping in those areas. Anyone try it? Anyone use it? Flim-Flam or real?



https://www.lumosity.com/

https://my.happify.com/

If you do use these are there any others you use?

Posted by rabidtalker
These came out a few years ago and are subscription based, they are supposed to make you smarter and/or happier, they seem like a scam but sometimes all it takes is a little self belief to make things happen and I can see these helping in those areas. Anyone try it? Anyone use it? Flim-Flam or real?



https://www.lumosity.com/

https://my.happify.com/

If you do use these are there any others you use?

Yes, I used Lumosity for a while but got bored of it, and gave it up fully in light of some of the recent studies (including meta-analysis) on these sorts of brain training programs:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-training-doesn-t-make-you-smarter/

The research casts doubt mainly on programs that are for individual use, at home. Apparently positive results have come from group-based programs that involve a trainer though:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/does-lumosity-work-home-brain-training-ineffective-group-based-training-really-works-311170

Posted by MetatronYes, I used Lumosity for a while but got bored of it, and gave it up fully in light of some of the recent studies (including meta-analysis) on these sorts of brain training programs:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-training-doesn-t-make-you-smarter/

The research casts doubt mainly on programs that are for individual use, at home. Apparently positive results have come from group-based programs that involve a trainer though:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/does-lumosity-work-home-brain-training-ineffective-group-based-training-really-works-311170

Hmm interesting, sounds like it's better to just take a difficult college course with other people.

Posted by rabidtalker

Posted by MetatronYes, I used Lumosity for a while but got bored of it, and gave it up fully in light of some of the recent studies (including meta-analysis) on these sorts of brain training programs:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-training-doesn-t-make-you-smarter/

The research casts doubt mainly on programs that are for individual use, at home. Apparently positive results have come from group-based programs that involve a trainer though:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/does-lumosity-work-home-brain-training-ineffective-group-based-training-really-works-311170

Hmm interesting, sounds like it's better to just take a difficult college course with other people.

click to expand

Have you read any of the research on action video games improving cognition?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201502/cognitive-benefits-playing-video-games

https://phys.org/news/2017-06-video-games-good-young-people.html

Actually a lot of research showing long-term benefits here, for children and adults.

Posted by Metatron
Have you read any of the research on action video games improving cognition?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201502/cognitive-benefits-playing-video-games

https://phys.org/news/2017-06-video-games-good-young-people.html

Actually a lot of research showing long-term benefits here, for children and adults.

Yeah these things that these improve on, hand/eye coordination, short term memory, are good but it would be cool to find something that gives better analytical skills, deep thinking, etc. I guess some of the puzzle games could help. But there needs to be more research and studies on it all. From what I can gather though, no one here seems to use any of the previously mentioned sites or find it useful.