Does higher education hone cognitive functioning and learning efficacy? Findings from a large and diverse sample.

ABSTRACT: Attending school is a multifaceted experience. Students are not only exposed to new knowledge but are also immersed in a structured environment in which they need to respond flexibly in accordance with changing task goals, keep relevant information in mind, and constantly tackle novel problems. To quantify the cumulative effect of this experience, we examined retrospectively and prospectively, the relationships between educational attainment and both cognitive performance and learning. We analyzed data from 196,388 subscribers to an online cognitive training program. These subscribers, ages 15-60, had completed eight behavioral assessments of executive functioning and reasoning at least once. Controlling for multiple demographic and engagement variables, we found that higher levels of educ

SUBMITTER: Guerra-Carrillo B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5568102 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature