All You Can ET

Name: All You Can ET
Author: New York University

New York University

VALIDATED

Initial evidence from research studies

For:Researchers & AcademicsGeneral Public & EnthusiastsKids & Youth

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App Summary

All You Can ET is a digital game designed for adolescents that trains cognitive flexibility, a key executive function, by requiring players to apply frequently changing rules to care for aliens. The associated research (N=233) found that the game's "hot" emotional design was more effective at improving these skills compared to an emotionally neutral version, particularly for older adolescents. The authors conclude that leveraging emotional engagement in digital games is a promising approach for enhancing executive functions in this age group.

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by New York University's CREATE lab, All You Can ET is a digital game engineered to train the executive function of cognitive flexibility. The gameplay interface requires participants to apply frequently changing rules to match specific foods and drinks to variably colored alien characters. This core mechanic directly targets the cognitive process of shifting between mental sets. The system is grounded in established cognitive models of executive function and is part of the broader Smart Suite of educational tools.

Evidence & Research Context

An effectiveness study (N=233) evaluated the game's impact on cognitive shifting skills in adolescents aged 12 to 16.
A version with emotionally salient design elements ("hot") produced significantly higher post-test scores on shifting compared to a more neutral ("cool") version.
This effect was particularly pronounced in older adolescents, who demonstrated greater improvement from the "hot" condition than their younger peers.
The interaction between game version and age was further moderated by participants' prior executive function abilities, indicating differential effects based on baseline skills.

Intended Use & Scope

This tool is intended for educators and researchers as a game-based intervention for training cognitive flexibility in adolescents. Its primary utility is to provide targeted practice in the executive function subskill of shifting. The application is not a diagnostic instrument or a replacement for comprehensive educational or clinical support for executive function deficits.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Effectiveness/Outcome Study

Activating Adolescents' "Hot" Executive Functions in a Digital Game to Train Cognitive Skills: The Effects of Age and Prior Abilities

Homer et al. (2018) · Cognitive Development

Emotionally engaging design improved cognitive shifting skills, especially for older teens with stronger baseline abilities.

Executive function (EF), critical for many developmental outcomes, emerge in childhood and continue developing into early adulthood (Blakemore & Choudhury, 2006). During adolescence there are important developments in Hot EF, which involves using EF in emotionally salient contexts (Zelazo & Carlson, 2012). The current study used an emotional design approach (Um et al., 2012) to study hot EF in adolescents playing a digital game designed to train the EF subskill of shifting. Participants (N?=?233; aged 12–16, M?=?13.8, SD?=?1.1) played one of two version of the game: hot (with emotional design), or cool (with more emotionally neutral design). There was a main effect of condition, with higher posttest scores on shifting in the hot condition. Condition significantly interacted with age: older adolescents had better outcomes in the hot condition than in the cool condition. A three-way interaction between age, prior EF and condition was found, indicating that the age by condition interaction was affected by prior EF. These results indicate that the higher emotional arousal in the hot condition is more effective for enhancing EF skills, particularly for older adolescents, and argue for developing learning and training games that account for developmental changes such as the growth of hot EF in adolescence.

In the Media

Professors Create Free Research-Backed Games to Train Your Brain

New York University professors developed All You Can ET to improve cognitive skills through research-backed brain training games, using targeted computer game design from a 4-year U.S. Department of Education-funded study. "We designed three games to support learners in developing cognitive skills that researchers have identified as essential for success in daily life, executive functions," said Jan L. Plass, co-creator and professor at NYU's Steinhardt School. The games successfully improved executive functions after as little as two hours of play and are available free to help close opportunity gaps for less affluent communities.

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