The power of belief

Can a simple suggestion that “brain training works” actually boost your intelligence?

Todays scientific article seems to suggest: YES!

Todays insights is drawn from the scientific article:
“Placebo effects in cognitive training”

Takeaways:

📈 Leverage knowledge and expectation as a tool

According to todays study, expectations alone could boost effectiveness of cognitive practices.

Therefore, by gaining knowledge of scientific studies showing effects of different techniques that enhance your sleep, cognitive performance etc, you could create a stronger expectation in these techniques, and thereby increase their effectiveness!

🥇 Mindset matters

This study shows that mindset has an impact on your outcomes. This properly extends to different areas of your life

👇👇👇

Just a quick notice that we have now added a 3-min Stroop test to our resource-site 🤝

Let’s learn some more about this study:

_{Disclaimer: This summary is based on the article “Placebo effects in cognitive training” by Cyrus K. Foroughi, Samuel S. Monfort, Martin Paczynski, Patrick E. McKnight & Barbara P. M. Greenwood and aims to provide key takeaways and a condensed overview of its content. While the essence is drawn from the original article, some parts have been simplified or rephrased to enhance understanding. Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our summaries, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this summary. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original article for detailed insights and references. The summary does not include references, but they can typically be found within the original publication. Always exercise due diligence and consider your unique circumstances before applying any information in your personal or professional life. We refer to the creative commons for reproducibility rights.}

The study in a nutshell:

This study explores whether the placebo effect—where improvements arise from expectations rather than actual treatment—impacts perceived gains in cognitive training.

By using recruitment materials that either suggested cognitive enhancement (to induce a placebo effect) or remained neutral (as a control), researchers found that only the group primed for improvement showed significant intelligence gains after a training session.

What they did:

The sudy’s participants were recruited using two different flyers: one promoting cognitive enhancement, which aimed to create a placebo effect by suggesting training benefits, and a neutral flyer that did not mention cognitive enhancement, serving as a control.

This recruitment approach allowed participants to self-select into either the placebo or control group based on the language of the flyer.

What the authors found out:

Both groups showed improved performance on the cognitive training task itself. However, only the placebo group demonstrated significant gains in post-training fluid intelligence scores, equivalent to a 5- to 10-point increase on standardized IQ tests.

These gains were attributed to placebo effects, as they did not occur in the control group. Additionally, participants in the placebo group scored higher on a scale measuring beliefs about the malleability of intelligence, indicating that the recruitment language likely shaped their expectations of improvement.

What can we learn from this study?

The improvement in fluid intelligence seen only in the placebo group likely reflects participants' expectations, influenced by recruitment language, rather than genuine cognitive gains from training.

The study suggests that the placebo effect, driven by beliefs about intelligence malleability and the power of brain training, can produce significant performance increases.

Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions 🙋‍♂️

🙋‍♀️ Can simply believing in brain training really improve intelligence?

Based on todays study, yes. This study shows that participants expecting cognitive improvement often performed better, even if the actual training had no unique effect. This finding suggests that expectation and belief can enhance performance—but only up to a point, underscoring the need for techniques grounded in science.

🙋‍♂️ How can I apply this knowledge in my personal or academic growth?

You can intentionally strengthen your belief in evidence-based cognitive techniques. By choosing practices that are well-supported—like those we explore each week with OptiMindInsights—your confidence in their effectiveness can stremghten their benefits, helping you achieve your goals more effectively.

Want to learn even more about the brain and mind?

Once again, Andrew Huberman is place to look (outside of OptiMindInsights 😉)

_{Finishing statement: At OptiMindInsights we respect the contributions of researchers and aim to make scientific findings more accessible. Our summaries are prepared with care to comply with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License and other applicable terms.If you believe any part of our content does not meet these standards or if you have any concerns, please contact us at [email protected]m. Your input is crucial in helping us maintain respect and accuracy in our work.
Thank you for your support in making scientific knowledge more accessible.}