Strategy Games Improve Cognitive Functions In Older Adults 64
Researchers at the University of Illinois have completed a study about using video games to stimulate cognitive function in adults over 60 years old. The scientists selected a strategy game — because of its scope and the variety of different tasks involved — and trained a group of subjects on how to play. The gamers then scored better than a control group on a number of cognitive tests. Quoting:
"The tests included measures of their ability to switch between tasks, their short-term visual memory, their reasoning skills and their working memory, which is the ability to hold two or more pieces of information in memory and use the information as needed. There were also tests of the subjects' verbal recall, their ability to inhibit certain responses and their ability to identify an object that had been rotated to a greater or lesser degree from its original position. The researchers found that training on the video game did improve the participants' performance on a number of these tests. As a group, the gamers became significantly better — and faster — at switching between tasks compared with the comparison group. Their working memory, as reflected in the tests, also was significantly improved. Their reasoning ability was enhanced. To a lesser extent, their short-term memory of visual cues was better than that of their peers, as was their ability to identify rotated objects."
Brain Workshop: better intelligence for all ages (Score:3, Informative)
Brain Workshop is an implementation of the Dual N-back exercise which trains your short-term memory; a psychological study has shown that doing it increases your intelligence.
See http://brainworkshop.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net] for more.
In South Korea, training your brain with Starcraft is for old people... ;)
Re:New for 2009! (Score:5, Informative)
Tactics is certainly not a synonym for strategy.
Tactics is the art of how to deploy your forces to achieve an objective, for example on platoon level how to place your squads, if you do bounding overwatch or travelling overwatch while advancing etc.
Strategy is 95% the shuffling of material, troops and intel so the tacticians can do their job. I.e, logistics. The remaining 5% is trying to figure out where the enemy is, where he'll go, and how you can disrupt that by where you want your forces. Which is also logistics.
Re:Starcraft (Score:3, Informative)
Re:New for 2009! (Score:3, Informative)
tactics is what S.W.A.T. teams and Special Forces (as well as normal front line soldiers) are trained in. it concerns the maneuvering of individual units on the battlefield--things like enfilade/defilade, spec fire, suppressive fire, leapfrogging, flanking, squad formation/movement/positioning, etc.
strategy is the planning and execution of a war/contest between entire armies/nations. it's the decision-making handled by the Generals and Pentagon officials rather than the direct combatants on the battlefield. military strategy involves the use of diplomatic, economic, military, and informational resources to achieve strategic goals and obtain the desired end-state of a conflict.
logistics is the maintenance of an active army and the movement/acquisition/distribution of resources this entails. logistics is used to accompany/enable strategy, but it's generally considered a separate discipline.