Gaun-or-no-gaun test

It measures haudin back a response: stoppin an action ye're already set tae mak. The idea gangs back tae the 19th century, whan Donders timed a task whaur fowk respond tae ae signal an haud back at the ithers 1. In a gaun-or-no-gaun test, ye answer maist shapes wi a quick tap, sae tappin turns intae a habit, an the rare "no-gaun" shape asks ye tae brak it.

This is the same test as in the Helibrain app: a short practice wi feedback, syne 40 shapes, ilka yin shawed for 800 ms wi a 600 ms gap. Aboot 25% are orange squares, spread through the run.

Cause the test only warks that wey. A study that compared versions o the task fund that haudin back only taks real self-control whan the pace is fast an no-gaun shapes are rare. Slaw versions wi as mony no-gaun shapes as gaun shapes barely test it 2.

• Answered richt: the share o aw the shapes ye dealt wi richt, a tap for a circle, nae tap for a square.
• Squares tapped: stops ye missed. This is the main error in haudin back.
• Circles missed: uisually a loss o attention, or bein ower carefu.
• Circle speed: yer average time tae tap a circle. Gaun faster aften means mair missed stops, sae luik at baith thegither.

There's nae ae standard version o this test, sae scores fae ither sites or studies cannae be compared directly. Compare wi yer ain earlier runs.

Brain-imaging studies o gaun-or-no-gaun tasks link haudin back a response tae a network in the frontal an parietal lobes, an the areas that show up depend on hou the task is pit thegither 3.

Tiredness is ae factor. In ae study, efter a nicht wi nae sleep, fowk mair aften failed tae haud back a response tae negative pictures 4. Distraction, hurryin, an simply bein new tae the task can shift the score an aa, sae tak ae run as a snapshot.