Investigating Cognitive Flexibility Training

Summary

The investigators' previous research identified two distinct subtypes of Cognitive Flexibility (CF), termed CF1 (shifting flexibility) and CF2 (strategy flexibility). The present study aims to determine whether these forms of CF can be trained, how they differ, and the extent to which improvements transfer to broader learning and cognitive skills. In addition, social functioning outcomes and the extent to which social factors moderate the effects of cognitive flexibility training are assessed. The investigators will employ a multi-modal approach combining cognitive-behavioural and neuroimaging methods to examine how brain mechanisms and cognitive performance change following CF-targeted training intervention (Structure learning) compared with active control and a no-training paradigm (passive control).

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Experimental (Implicit Training): Structure Learning Training

Participants will undergo 6-12 sessions of Structure Learning or set-shifting training in the active control training group lasting up to 30 minutes each. Each session will be conducted in a remote-guided manner with an approximate 1-day gap in between sessions. The entire training will span a maximum of 12 days. Across the task, difficulty will progressively increase through changes in probabilistic contingencies. For example, following each symbol, one subsequent symbol may occur with 75% probability and an alternative symbol with 25% probability. Participants will first learn symbol-based contingencies (e.g., 75/25), followed by contingency reversals (25/75) requiring updating of learned associations. An additional stimulus dimension (frames surrounding symbols) will then be introduced with similar probabilistic contingencies and subsequent reversals, requiring flexible adaptation to shifting rules.

BEHAVIORAL

Active Control (Explicit Training): 'All You Can E.T.'

The protocol for the active control condition will mirror that of the experimental arm. Participants will complete an equivalent number of training sessions, and total task time will be matched between the experimental and control groups.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Cambridge

  collaborator OTHER

• Nanyang Technological University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Annabel SH Chen, PhD · Nanyang Technological University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

29 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-23

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• Singapore

Study Locations