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Trident Brain State Test

Prior to starting your training for the week, we need to establish baseline tendencies in your brain state to choose which kind of neural entertainment is recommended prior to training with the apps. Being in the right brain state and being able to get ‘in the zone’ is important for getting the most benefit from your training.

You can use the scale below to estimate your baseline brain state.

Instructions

When to take the test: At the beginning of each week of training for the duration of your program.

For each statement below, please indicate your level of agreement using the following scale:

  • 1 = Strongly Disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly Agree

The following questions should be answered considering your experiences over the past week. Try to think of concrete examples before rating each question.

Subcritical State

  1. I feel drowsy or sleepy even during tasks that require my attention.
  2. It’s hard for me to focus on the details of a task.
  3. I feel disconnected from my surroundings.
  4. My thoughts drift easily, and I catch myself daydreaming.
  5. I feel less motivated to engage in activities I usually enjoy.

Supercritical State

  1. I often feel tense without a specific reason.
  2. Small annoyances cause me significant irritation.
  3. I feel constantly alert, as if something is going to happen.
  4. It’s difficult for me to unwind and relax, even in a comfortable setting.
  5. My mind races with thoughts, making it hard to focus on one thing.

Near Critical State

  1. I feel engaged with tasks without feeling stressed about them.
  2. I can concentrate on details while understanding the bigger picture.
  3. I find it easy to stay calm and collected even under pressure.
  4. I feel a steady flow of energy and focus throughout tasks.
  5. I am able to bounce back from setbacks during a task quickly.

Brainwave Entrainment

  • Subcritical Tendencies: Higher scores (towards 5) on statements 1-5 indicate a more subcritical state. In this case, we recommend 10 minutes of gamma (γ) binaural beat entrainment prior to your brain training session each day.
  • Supercritical Tendencies: Higher scores on statements 6-10 suggest a supercritical state. In this case, we recommend 10 minutes of alpha (α) binaural beat entrainment prior to your brain training session each day.
  • Near-Critical State: Higher scores on statements 11-15 point towards a near-critical state.   In this case, we recommend 10 minutes of theta (θ) binaural beat entrainment prior to your brain training session each day.

Why Brainwave Entrainment Helps Training Gains

The Trident Far Transfer Training (TTT) system’s approach to using different neural entrainment protocols (gamma, alpha, and theta) based on an individual’s pre-tested brain state is rooted in the theory of achieving optimal brain criticality for cognitive training. Here’s the rationale for each choice based on the neuroscience research:

  1. Gammaγ Wave Entrainment for Subcritical States:
    • Brain State Description: Subcritical brain states involve low arousal and responsiveness, which might manifest as drowsiness or low motivation.
    • How Gamma Helps: Excitatory gamma waves underpin executive cognitive processing, attention focus & flexibility. Entraining the brain to this frequency can stimulate neural activity, enhancing alertness and improving cognitive performance, thus bringing the brain closer to a critical state where it can best integrate and process information.
    • The Trident:  Gamma is a signal of executive mode processing – the left prong of the trident.
  2. Alpha α Wave Entrainment for Supercritical States:
    • Brain State Description: Supercritical states are marked by high arousal levels, which may include feelings of anxiety or a racing mind.
    • How Alpha Helps: Inhibitory alpha waves underpin creative cognitive processing, and a more relaxed brain state. Entrainment to alpha waves can help dampen a supercritical brain, reducing excessive neural firing bring the brain back to criticality.
    • The Trident:  Alpha is a signal of creative mode processing, divergent thinking and consolidation of training – the right prong of the trident.
  3. Theta θ Wave Entrainment for Near-Critical (Optimal) States:
    • State Description: An optimal or near-critical state is when the brain is engaged but not stressed, characterized by balanced alertness and calm – often experienced as being ‘in the zone’.
    • How Theta Helps: Theta waves are associated with hippocampal working memory function and relational processing. When the brain is already in an optimal brain critical state, theta entrainment can enhance cognitive processing for IQ and memory, and prime the brain for far-transfer training benefits.
    • The Trident:  Theta is a signal of for the central prong of the Trident – fluid intelligence and relational processing (IQ).

These entrainment strategies are implemented with the goal of modulating the brain’s arousal levels to a near-critical state. This state is ideal for cognitive training, because it balances the stability and flexibility of neural networks, allowing for optimal cognitive function, learning transfer, and memory integration. By adjusting the brain’s arousal level with specific neural entrainments, the Trident system aims to maximize the effectiveness of cognitive training tasks such as the dual n-back.

File Downloads

You should be able to download the file to listen to directly on your PC/Mac.

Transferring the audio file to your iPhone or iPad

For instructions on how to add this theta entrainment audio file to your iOS or iPad device, follow the instructions here.

Transferring the audio file to your iPhone or iPad

For instructions on how to add this theta entrainment audio file to your Android device, follow the instructions here.