The Effect of Computerized System Feedback Availability During Executive Function Training

Abstract

Computerized training systems offer a promising new direction in the training of executive functions, in part because they can easily be designed to offer feedback to learners. Yet, feedback is a double-edged sword, serving a positive motivational role while at the same time carrying the risk that learners may become dependent on the feedback they receive. The current research suggests that computerized training systems may take advantage of the motivational effects of feedback without the unwanted risk by making feedback available while not requiring trainees to access it. Specifically, we hypothesized that the mere availability of feedback would improve performance even if trainees never or almost never made use of it. We tested this hypothesis using a simple puzzle completion task, putting the focus on executive functions by instructing participants to complete each puzzle with a minimal number of rotations and moves. Two training sessions in which the availability of feedback was manipulated were followed by a transfer test and a visual perception test. The results show that the availability of feedback improved performance, in terms of the smaller number of excess rotations and moves performed during both the training sessions and the transfer task.