#1. The Stroop Test: Great brain teaser to challenge your mental vitality and flexibility
October 5, 2006//
Ready to test your mental vitality and flexibility?
Quick — say aloud what color you see in every word, NOT the word you read.
Go from left to right, from top to down. Ready. Set. Go!
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Not easy, right? This task is called the Stroop Test, and is used in neuropsychological evaluations to measure mental vitality and flexibility, since performing well requires strong attention, inhibition and self-regulation capability (also called executive functions).
Next brain teaser in SharpBrains’ top 25 series:
- #2. You say you can count? Check out this brief attention experiment
Posted in Brain Teasers
70 Comments
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Easy at first, but you almost have to shout out the color towards the end to make sure you get it right!
Weird- opposite for me. I had to slow down when it switched over, but then i developed a steady pattern that got me through no problem. Fun.
Great, you found the way to do it quickly!
I’ve seen this exercise, and interestingly enough, it doesn’t prove particularly challenging for people who’s first language is not English.
Makes sense-because they haven’t developed the automatic habit of identifying/ reading those words with the same strength.
hah the fastest way to do this isnt by slowing down, it is by letting go of yuor eyes focus, allow them to go blurry and only focus on the color spots you see.. ignore the now blurred hard-to-read text.
hi Chris, yes, that is a good strategy
very cool…almost made it through
I found that saying “I see” in my had before saying the color out loud gave me enough time to get it correct.
Kyle, try a couple more times, and am sure you’ll do it full.
Brad: yes, the extra time may help you there But try to do it faster :-)
Hi,
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with Justine, who said that it may be less challenging to someone who isn’t a native english speaker…
I’m Dutch (from the Netherlands), and just like some of the others, I had to speak up, to make sure I was naming the colors, not the words.
On the other hand, there may still be truth in Justine’s remark, since I’ve been accused of being indistinguishable from a native english speaker. I’ve used the language for over 30 years now, although not exclusively.
Thanks for the comment, FreeBee. You are both right, in that the test is more difficult for English speakers, while it is difficult for everyone reading this (English-language) blo.
For a, let’s say, Chinese person who has never been exposed to English, it should be pretty easy.
Basically, i shrinked my eyes and I was able to solve very quickly.
What is this test supposed to do for our brain?
Jazz:
1) simply provide a fun challenge
2) used by an expert, assess one’s capacity to control impulses
focusing only on the last letter of each word made it easier for me to identify the colors correctly.
Liked it,its easier if you read the words in a different language than english.
It got easier when I squinted and made my vision slightly blurry so that the words were difficult to read but the colors stood out.
me to .. i agree with Dan
I would like to see the test timed and indicate the number correct to see if I am making progress.
I got through it fairly well by forcing my mind to focus only on the color I see and not even allowing myself to read the words.
Quite easy and fun too :)
This test has been interesting for me because after taking the test a few (5?) times over the last couple of years I have sort of “found a place in my mind” that allows me to do it correctly. It is a little struggle to get there but once “there” I can “hang on”. It is an odd and interesting feeling. I remember almost shouting the words the first time I tried it.
Adjust your eyes so that the words are too blurry to read, then recite the colors.
How do you know for sure that you did it correctly? It felt correct to me, but if I missed one, how would I recognize that???