I would really like to see the effect of attention span increasing drugs on these types of experiments, for example what happens when you give the low performers Adderal or Vyvanse? does their performance improve? What about drugs that expand working memory like Provigil? Is there any research on this that you (the HN collective) recommend?
So I think there is the following problem with the experiment as you propose: are these low performers simply deficit in attention management or broader faculties as well. If the former, there's decades of data indicating that clinical level difficulties with attention can indeed be treated (hint: it's called ADHD). That's because ADHD is often in large part a gap between intentionality and action (that gap being executive function, which in "that would be fun, but I should do this" scenario makes the this branch choice possible).
Do people actually use provigil off label to improve memory? That seems like a pretty iffy approach, sleeping wold probably work better!
And if the drug does improve performance, does the improvement remain after the drug leaves the system? (Did it help exercise pathways that remain stronger, later?) Or, does it make performance even worse in the absence of the attention-stimulant?
