Cognitive Improvements through Chewing Gum
...fter a two-minute period. Accuracy was recorded in the number of correct repeats. Second, an analytical test was demanded which tested the subjects ability to interpret and analyze words and sentences. The time and accuracy was recorded. The third test was a word test that demanded the subject to pick out words from a layout of random letter distributions. The number of words found was recorded. Fourth, a math test was administered to test the subject’s ability to perform mathematical calculations. Accuracy and time was again recorded. The fifth and final test was a memory test designed to test the subject’s ability to remember the location of objects lied out in a certain fashion, similar to a memory game. The number of turns was recorded. Results After the data was recorded, analyzed, and finally calculated using statistical analysis, the data provided significance value in order to determine if the results can be considered statistically different from each other. Overall, no single test or the data gathered from the heart rate recording provides enough significance, as no test or data has a significance value less than the necessary 0.05. The closest was the memory game, in which the SIG was 0.15. Similarly, the averages of every test did not provide any groundbreaking evidence to a difference between the control and variable groups. Discussion After performing the experiment, recording and analyzing the data, it was found that on average, the results of each test were not significant enough to show a strong difference in cognitive function with respect to chewing gum. These results are somewhat surprising, given a prediction that gum chewing would increase cognitive function, and thusly increase memory ability and brain power. The initial assumption that chewing gum could increase cognitive function included two reasons. The first was that the actions would increase the heart rate and as a result, more blood and oxygen would flow to the brain and increase cognitive potential. The second was gum chewing would bring about an increase in saliva, and as ...