What does it mean if I keep looking at the flash?

Looking at the flash is the natural reflex the test is designed to trigger. Frequent errors mean your brain is struggling to inhibit that automatic response, which is a normal variation in executive control.

Can this test diagnose ADHD?

No. The Antisaccade Test is a cognitive screening tool that measures inhibitory control. It cannot diagnose ADHD or any other medical condition.

Why is my reaction time so slow?

Slower reaction times often occur when you are deliberately pausing to ensure you suppress the reflex. Fatigue, distraction, or unfamiliarity with the task can also increase latency.

How often should I retake the test?

You can retake it weekly to track practice effects, but daily repetition offers diminishing returns and may reflect short-term fatigue rather than lasting change.

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Antisaccade Test

Fixate the centre. A flash tempts you on one side — do not look at it. The opposite side then flashes a short arrow: read its direction and respond fast. Sixteen rounds score how well your brain suppresses that reflexive glance and redirects its attention.

Press Start to begin.

About the Antisaccade Test

In the antisaccade task you must look away from an unexpected flash — the opposite of what a reflexive eye movement wants to do. It is a standard measure of top-down attentional control and inhibition, used in cognitive research since the 1980s.

Successful trials lower false-alarm rates and quicker redirects. Failed trials, where the flash pulls a reflexive same-side press, are scored separately as impulse errors — the prosaccade mistake this task is built to expose.

Test your impulse control with Go / No-Go · try the flanker test

About

The Antisaccade Test measures your ability to suppress an automatic reflex and voluntarily redirect your gaze. When a sudden flash appears on one side of the screen, your brain instinctively wants to look toward it. This task requires you to inhibit that reflex and instead look to the opposite side to identify the direction of an arrow.

During each trial, a fixation point appears in the center followed by a brief peripheral cue. You must resist looking at the cue and shift your eyes to the mirror location where an arrow is displayed. The test records whether you correctly identify the arrow direction and how quickly you respond, providing a direct window into executive control and attentional inhibition.

How your result is scored

Your result is calculated from the percentage of trials where you correctly reported the arrow direction while suppressing the glance toward the flash. Reaction time on correct trials is also measured. A higher accuracy rate and faster valid responses indicate stronger inhibitory control and more efficient top-down attention.

Lower accuracy or very slow responses suggest greater difficulty overriding the automatic orienting reflex. This pattern can reflect normal variation in focus, fatigue, or distractibility. The test is a cognitive screening aid and does not provide a medical diagnosis of any attention disorder or neurological condition.

Tips to improve

Keep your eyes steady on the central fixation cross until the arrow appears.
Practice a few warm-up trials to learn the timing of the flash and arrow.
Minimize external distractions and ensure the screen is at comfortable viewing distance.
Take short breaks if you notice your error rate climbing during a long session.
Stay well-rested; fatigue significantly impairs inhibitory control.

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean if I keep looking at the flash?: Looking at the flash is the natural reflex the test is designed to trigger. Frequent errors mean your brain is struggling to inhibit that automatic response, which is a normal variation in executive control.
Can this test diagnose ADHD?: No. The Antisaccade Test is a cognitive screening tool that measures inhibitory control. It cannot diagnose ADHD or any other medical condition.
Why is my reaction time so slow?: Slower reaction times often occur when you are deliberately pausing to ensure you suppress the reflex. Fatigue, distraction, or unfamiliarity with the task can also increase latency.
How often should I retake the test?: You can retake it weekly to track practice effects, but daily repetition offers diminishing returns and may reflect short-term fatigue rather than lasting change.