What the research actually shows
The question of whether working memory training "works" has generated more scientific controversy per study than almost any topic in cognitive neuroscience. The short answer is: it depends entirely on what you mean by "works." Practice on any specific working memory task reliably improves performance on that task. Whether those improvements transfer to other, untrained tasks — and particularly whether they improve real-world cognition — is a very different question.
The landmark 2013 Cochrane-style review by Melby-Lervåg and Hulme (and its 2016 update) analyzed 87 studies and found: visual working memory training produces reliable improvements on the trained tasks (near transfer) but minimal improvements on untrained tasks (far transfer). There were virtually no durable effects on reading, mathematics, or fluid intelligence. These findings were influential but also contested — subsequent meta-analyses with different inclusion criteria found slightly more optimistic results.
The transfer problem
- Near transfer:Improvement on tasks very similar to the trained task. Consistently found. Partly reflects strategy learning and task familiarity.
- Far transfer:Improvement on dissimilar tasks that tax the same underlying capacity. Inconsistently found. The hoped-for transfer to fluid intelligence has not been robustly replicated.
- Real-world transfer:Improvement in daily tasks (remembering directions, following complex instructions). Virtually no strong evidence from controlled studies.
What does reliably improve with visual memory training
Despite the mixed evidence on far transfer, several things demonstrably do improve with focused visual memory practice:
Test-specific performance
Consistent findingPractice on the Visual Memory test reliably improves your score on that test. This is partly strategy acquisition, partly reduced test anxiety, and possibly some genuine capacity improvement. Gains of 1–3 levels over 10–20 sessions are typical for naive users.
Near-transfer spatial tasks
Consistent findingTraining on grid-based spatial recall tasks consistently transfers to other spatial tasks of similar structure (other versions of the Corsi block task, other grid recall tasks). If you train extensively on the Visual Memory test, you will likely also improve on the Sequence Memory test, which uses a similar paradigm.
Encoding strategy sophistication
Moderate findingExtended practice develops more sophisticated chunking and grouping strategies that can transfer to other visuospatial tasks outside the test context. Users who learn to chunk effectively on grid tasks often report improved performance in chess, spatial design, and navigation — though these reports are anecdotal rather than experimentally verified.
General intelligence and fluid IQ
Not supportedEarly claims that n-back training (a visual working memory task) could substantially boost fluid intelligence have not replicated in large preregistered trials. The effect sizes in initial positive studies were likely inflated by publication bias and methodological issues. Training-based fluid intelligence gains, if real, are small and specific. See our brain training myth article for the full story.
Why lifestyle beats apps for genuine capacity gains
The clearest and most consistent finding across the cognitive training literature is that lifestyle interventions — particularly aerobic exercise — produce larger and more transferable improvements in visual working memory than any computerized training program studied to date. This is not a subtle difference. Exercise effects on VWM are roughly twice the size of computerized training effects and show far more evidence of transfer to untrained tasks.
| Intervention | Effect size (d) | Transfer | Evidence quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic exercise (12 wk) | 0.5–0.7 | Broad (near + far) | Multiple RCTs |
| Computerized VWM training | 0.4–0.6 | Near only | Mixed studies |
| Sleep improvement (chronic) | 0.4–0.5 | Broad | Observational + intervention |
| Mindfulness training | 0.2–0.4 | Moderate | Several RCTs |
| Commercial brain training apps | 0.1–0.3 | Near only | Often industry-funded |
The practical implication: if you want to genuinely improve your visual memory capacity beyond what strategy learning provides, invest first in sleep hygiene and aerobic exercise. These interventions have a much stronger evidence base than any app. Our visual memory improvement guide walks through how to combine all three approaches effectively. For broader context on what brain training can and cannot do, read our article on cognitive training science.
The bottom line
Visual memory training, in the sense of repeatedly practicing grid-based spatial recall tasks, reliably improves your performance on those tasks and closely related measures. Whether it produces genuine improvements in the underlying cognitive capacity — or mainly teaches you to be better at the specific test — is harder to determine and varies by individual.
Practical verdict
Practice on the Visual Memory test is worthwhile for improving your benchmark score and building spatial encoding strategies. It should not be treated as a replacement for lifestyle interventions. The optimal approach combines: regular test practice for strategy development + aerobic exercise + sufficient sleep + diverse visual-spatial activities (navigation, chess, drawing, puzzles).
Establish your baseline today
Track your score over weeks of practice and see how strategy learning and lifestyle changes move the needle.
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