New Skills Lead to Better Memory Forget the crossword puzzles. Researchers are saying that to keep your memory sharp you should be doing more mentally challenging tasks like learning a new skill. In a new study, published online in Psychological Science, researchers had some participants (ages 60 to 90) learn digital photography, quilting, or both. Others engaged in non-demanding mental activities at home, such as solving word puzzles and listening to classical music, or in social activities like going on field trips, watching movies or playing games. The researchers told the participants to spend 15 hours a week on their assignments. After three months, only the participants who actively acquired new skills -- photography and/or quilting -- showed improvement in memory. Overall, people who learned digital photography, which included photo editing on a computer, had the most memory improvement. The researchers attribute the memory improvement to the sustained working and long-term memories used to actively learn a new skill. The other activities were more passive, relying on existing knowledge and familiar actions.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 09:56:35 +0000
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