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Brain's Cache Memory Found
Shipud writes "Electrical activity in a single section of the brain has been linked to very short-term
working memory, as is
reported at Nature. Very short-term working memory capacity is thought to be related to intelligence. In the same way that a larger cache speeds processing time, people with a greater capacity for holding images in their heads are expected to have better reasoning and problem-solving skills. The localization of this ability is a surprising finding, as until now it was believed that STWM was diffused throughout the cortex, rather than localized."
Thanks.
... not remember 4 spots of light.
... but I've also seen many of those same types fail when tasked with the above sorts of questions.
This seems to be quite questionable as far as any sorts of broad conclusions are concerned.
When people talk about "intelligence" they usually mean something like "being able to grasp two deep concepts and put them together"
Granted, I have seen a correlation between people who are capable of remembering 10 digit codes and intelligence
Maybe this is a red herring.
As my father lik@(munch munch)...
Now im going to use a somewhat tried and true comparison here just try and follow me.
Everyone knows that both the P4 and the Celeron share the same architecture ( Intelligence ? ), but vary only in their cache size. Now run a comparison using any application have you and see which one can do the task faster.
It is the size of the cache that determines intelligence in this case. The cache size just inhibited the ability of the intelligence to work as quick as it could.
A Fatal OE Exception has occurred, Sig will now reboot.
Well, there's the obvious. Use it. A lot. The human machine is built around building up what gets "stressed." That goes for the brain too. For short term working memory exercise make references. Read a book, history or something like that, where you're bit over your head. Keep Google going while you do it and every time you hit something you don't understand do a search, follow the search to whatever else interesting it might lead to, bounce back and forth from the book to search materials.
/. on the side.
Now do it with two books, maybe even on different but related subjects, while you keep an eye on
This is pure "cache" work. Don't try to memorize any of it. That's a different "brain muscle." Isolate what you're exercising. You're just trying to keep the different threads of thought all going without losing them.
Now, remember what I said about getting stressed? Don't. Really, the biggest killer of working short term memory is any sort of tension. Tension is an attention grabber, and you only have a limited amount of attention at any one time. Learn to relax. Let it flow of its own accord. If you pick it it will never heal.
It's one of those zen things, where you hit the target by not being aware that the target is even there. The arrow releases itself.
Oh, and here's the nasty part. Just like stressing muscles to build strength, it's a use it or lose it deal. Yes, you can improve your short term working memory, but when you stop using it, the improvment will fade.
I really hate that part.
KFG
The article, and the researchers in the article are making an assumption about intelligence: they're assuming raw information processing power IS intelligence. I would argue that a more substantial defining factor is recall of previously processed information and the clarity of that recall. In school, the Cram -->Take Test --> Brain Dump method works but doesn't foster leaning in the way that creates "intelligence" by my definition. If everyone were to re-take their final exams from their senior year of high school/college TODAY I would argue that those doing the best overall were the most intelligent, particularly if their school-age years were long ago.
suposedly people with higher scores on these are somehow smarter,
Not smarter, just better able to navigate the rote kinds of query and response that measure success in academic environments.
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