About this session
In 2014, a group of 73 leading cognitive scientists and neuroscientists published a consensus statement on brain training, co-ordinated by Stanford University's Center on Longevity.
Their conclusion was direct: the claim that commercial brain training apps improve real-world cognitive function is not supported by the evidence, and the marketing of these products frequently overstates what the research shows.
The core issue is transfer: brain training apps reliably improve performance on the specific tasks practiced within the app, but the evidence for transfer — meaningful improvement in everyday cognitive abilities like memory, decision quality, and mental agility — is weak and inconsistent.
Understanding why transfer is so difficult, what genuinely does transfer, and how to evaluate future brain training claims is the practical skill this session develops.
It draws on Raymond Cattell and John Horn's distinction between fluid intelligence (the ability to reason and solve novel problems) and crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge and skills), alongside the latest research on the lifestyle factors that reliably protect and enhance both.
What your people take away
- Understand the transfer problem: why improving at a brain training game rarely improves real-world cognitive performance — and what the 2014 Stanford Consensus Statement actually concluded
- Apply the fluid and crystallized intelligence distinction (Cattell-Horn model) to evaluate which type of cognitive ability a training program targets and whether the claimed benefits are plausible
- Learn the evidence-based cognitive enhancers that do transfer reliably — the lifestyle factors with the strongest research base for real-world cognitive improvement
- Develop a practical framework for evaluating any brain training claim: the four questions that distinguish credible research from marketing
- Design a personal cognitive maintenance strategy built on the interventions with the strongest evidence-to-benefit ratio
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't WorkA focused 30-minute session on the essentials of The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work: the 2014 Stanford Consensus and the science of cognitive transfer.
- The 2014 Stanford Consensus and the science of cognitive transfer
Covers The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work, in brief.
60 minutes
60 Minutes — Brain WorkoutA fast, participatory brain workout built around three cognitive exercise tracks.
- The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 3 parts: The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work.
90 minutes
90 Minutes — Brain Training LabA deeper active lab using five cognitive exercise tracks and progressive challenge rounds.
- The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work
- Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 3 parts: The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work and Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training.
3 hours
3 Hours — All Three PartsCovers all three parts, with more time for hands-on practice and questions.
- The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work
- Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training
- What the Evidence Actually Supports — Building an Informed Cognitive Strategy
- Live Q&A
Covers all 3 parts.
Full day
Full Day — Cognitive Skills LabAn immersive cognitive circuit covering eight selected exercise tracks with progressive rounds and mixed challenges.
- The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work
- Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training
- What the Evidence Actually Supports — Building an Informed Cognitive Strategy
- Live Q&A
Covers all 3 parts, in more depth, with more time to practice.
What’s covered
The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work
Every length- The 2014 Stanford Consensus and the science of cognitive transferThe 2014 Stanford Consensus Statement is introduced.
Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training
90 minutes and longer- Cattell-Horn model and the cognitive targets that matterThe Cattell-Horn model of intelligence is introduced.
What the Evidence Actually Supports — Building an Informed Cognitive Strategy
3 hours and longer- The four evaluation questions and the evidence-based alternativesA practical four-question framework for evaluating any brain training claim is introduced.
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training
How long is Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training?
Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers the essentials of The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work: the 2014 Stanford Consensus and the science of cognitive transfer. A 60-minute session covers The Transfer Problem — Why Brain Games Usually Don't Work in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence — What You're Actually Training. A 3-hour session adds What the Evidence Actually Supports — Building an Informed Cognitive Strategy. A full-day session covers everything, in more depth, with more time to practice.
Can Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Brain Exercise: Making Informed Training to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.