Processing speed
Arrival Timing Task
Also called: coincidence anticipation, coincident timing task, prediction motion task, time to contact
Measure timing and motion prediction: press when a moving dot reaches a line, with the dot visible or disappearing before arrival.
3-4 minTimed: desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad
Free to start: 10 free participants per account, then $0.99 per participant for academic research, or any yearly plan. Try it here first, with no account.
- Papers, 2021 to 2025
- 41
- Evidence grade
- C
- Registered clinical studies
- 3
What it measures
Measure how accurately people time the arrival of a moving dot. Press Space when its center reaches a line, either while watching it or after it disappears. Scores report early and late timing errors, precision and the effect of disappearance.
Constructs
- Coincidence anticipation
- Motion prediction
- Visuomotor timing
Research uses
- Sport and driving research
- Visual motion prediction research
- Within-study timing comparisons
How the paradigm works
The Arrival Timing Task measures how precisely people time an action to a moving object's arrival. People press Space when the center of a dot reaches a line. On some trials the dot disappears before arrival, so the person must predict its continued motion. This is a screen version of coincidence anticipation, used in research on timing, motion and skilled action (Haywood, 1980; Millslagle, 2008).
More about the paradigm
A cross appears for 500 ms. The dot then travels 224 screen pixels at a constant speed, reaching the line after 1,200, 1,800 or 2,400 ms. Half the trials show the full motion; half hide the dot for the final 40% of its travel. The line stays visible. People may respond until 1,200 ms after expected arrival. Six practice trials give feedback, followed by 48 test trials with a rest halfway, about 3 to 4 minutes. Trials per condition can be set from 4 to 16, and every speed and visibility condition is planned before the session.
The main score is mean absolute timing error in milliseconds. Signed error shows whether responses tend to be early or late, and variability shows their consistency. Hidden minus visible absolute error measures the cost of predicting unseen motion. Error estimates require at least three usable answers. Presses within 100 ms of motion onset, pre-motion keys and frame gaps over 100 ms exclude affected trials. A response near expected arrival is valid, even if it occurs slightly before arrival.
Scores
- Absolute Timing Errorms
- Mean absolute difference between the key press and expected arrival.
- Lower means closer timing
- Signed Timing Errorms
- Mean key-press time minus expected arrival.
- Negative is early; positive is late
- Timing Variabilityms
- Sample standard deviation of signed errors across usable trials.
- Lower means more consistent timing
- Visible Motion Errorms
- Mean absolute error when the dot stays visible.
- Lower means closer timing
- Hidden Motion Errorms
- Mean absolute error when the final 40% of motion is hidden.
- Lower means closer timing
- Occlusion Costms
- Hidden minus visible mean absolute timing error.
- Positive means more error with hidden motion
- Error by Travel Timems
- Mean absolute error keyed by travel time in milliseconds.
- Compare the three speeds
- Anticipationscount
- Presses within 100 ms of motion onset.
- Lower is better
- Early Key Pressescount
- Space presses before the dot starts moving.
- Affected trials leave the timing estimates
- Missed Responsescount
- Trials without a recorded Space response by the deadline.
- Lower is better
- Display Gapscount
- Trials with a gap over 100 ms between frames.
- Affected trials leave the timing estimates
- Usable Trialstrials
- Responses with usable timing and no early key presses.
- More gives a steadier estimate
- Completed Trialstrials
- Recorded test trials in the selected run, including missed responses.
- Compare with planned trials
- Planned Trialstrials
- Test trials planned for the run.
- Informational
- Frame Intervalms
- Median interval between screen frames.
- About 16.7 ms on a 60 Hz screen
Use and evidence
41 papers from 2021 to 2025 name this task in their title or abstract, up 11% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 390 of 582 test families in our census. See the counts for every test.
Show the numbers
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2000 | 4 |
Use grade D
30 to 99 papers from 2021 to 2025.
Evidence grade C
At least 2 test-retest papers, 30 reliability or validity papers or 3 registered clinical studies.
- Papers on test-retest reliability
- 1
- Papers on reliability or validity
- 6
- Registered clinical studies using it as an outcome
- 3
Measured on ConductCognition
Pooled across the studies that feed our platform norms, by device group. A figure needs 50 or more people.
No pooled figure yet.
Note on the counts: includes sport science studies with light runways.
How the grades work
Use: A is 1,000 or more papers from 2021 to 2025, B 300 to 999, C 100 to 299, D 30 to 99 and E fewer than 30. Evidence: A means at least 25 papers report its test-retest reliability and at least 25 registered clinical studies use it as an outcome; B, at least 8 test-retest papers, and either 5 registered clinical studies or 150 reliability or validity papers; C, at least 2 test-retest papers, 30 reliability or validity papers or 3 registered clinical studies; D, little published measurement evidence found. The counts measure use. They include every paper that names the task in its title or abstract. Grades describe the published research on this task, not ConductCognition's version of it.
Source: ConductCognition test census 0.39.0, counted 8 November 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
Task design
The trial sequence as the test runs in ConductCognition.
- Display
- After a cross for 500 ms, a dot travels 224 screen pixels to a line in 1,200, 1,800 or 2,400 ms, at a constant speed. Left and right travel are balanced within one trial in each condition.
- Visibility
- Half the trials keep the dot visible. Half hide it after 60% of the journey; it stays hidden through arrival. The target line stays visible.
- Answer
- Press Space when the dot center reaches the line. The deadline is 1,200 ms after expected arrival. Motion continues past the line on visible trials.
- Trials
- 8 trials per condition (4 to 16): 48 test trials across three travel times and two visibility conditions, in a seeded order, with a rest halfway. Six practice trials give 1,000 ms of feedback.
- Score
- Mean absolute error in milliseconds from expected arrival, signed error (negative early), sample standard deviation of signed error and hidden minus visible absolute error. Estimates need at least three usable answers.
- Timing checks
- Presses within 100 ms of motion onset, trials with pre-motion keys and trials with frame gaps over 100 ms leave the estimates. A timely press near arrival is a usable answer.
An original screen version of coincidence anticipation, using constant-speed horizontal motion and a final hidden segment. It does not reproduce the published light-track apparatus. Compare people on the same devices; percentiles are not computed.
Quality checks
Each session is marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason, before you see its scores.
Scored rows: arrival_timing_test from the run with most trials. Space marks estimated arrival; no accuracy or repeated-key check. Presses before motion, gaps over 100 ms between frames and incomplete runs are flagged. Error estimates require three usable answers. Response time starts at motion onset. Missed responses and responses under 100 ms follow the timed-test rule.
Why these rules
A press near arrival can correctly anticipate the moving dot and is not a fast reaction error. The 100 ms threshold starts at motion onset, before there is enough motion to judge speed. Pre-motion presses and large display gaps leave error estimates. A hidden tab changes the motion and withholds a percentile.
No percentile. Scores and quality flags only.
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Trials per condition | 8 | 4 to 16 |
Yearly plans can change settings within these limits. Free and pay-as-you-go studies use the standard settings.
Need a setting this test does not have?
Devices and languages
- Timed test: participants need a desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad. Participant devices
- Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese.
- Available on: Every plan, including the free plan.
- No percentile. Scores and quality flags only. How norms work
- Recruiting online? See the setup guides for Prolific, Sona Systems, CloudResearch Connect and Qualtrics.
Cite and describe
Participants completed the Arrival Timing Task in a web browser (ConductCognition task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0; Haywood, 1980; Millslagle, 2008), with the standard settings (trials per condition: 8). The main score was absolute timing error (mean absolute difference between the key press and expected arrival).
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- Haywood, K. M. (1980). Coincidence-anticipation accuracy across the life span. Experimental Aging Research, 6(5), 451-462. https://doi.org/10.1080/03610738008258380Timing a button press to the arrival of a moving stimulus.
- Millslagle, D. G. (2008). Use of an occlusion paradigm to examine anticipation of accelerating and decelerating stimuli. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 107(3), 761-774. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.107.3.761-774Comparing coincidence anticipation with visible and occluded motion.
Source papers
- Haywood, K. M. (1980). Coincidence-anticipation accuracy across the life span. Experimental Aging Research, 6(5), 451-462.Paradigm source, Adults
- Millslagle, D. G. (2008). Use of an occlusion paradigm to examine anticipation of accelerating and decelerating stimuli. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 107(3), 761-774.Paradigm source, Adults
Questions
How long does the Arrival Timing Task take?
About 3 to 4 minutes, as listed in the test library.
What device does a participant need?
Timed test: participants need a desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad. The browser must be Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
What scores does it produce?
Absolute Timing Error, Signed Timing Error, Timing Variability, Visible Motion Error, Hidden Motion Error, Occlusion Cost, Error by Travel Time, Anticipations, Early Key Presses, Missed Responses, Display Gaps, Usable Trials, Completed Trials, Planned Trials and Frame Interval. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
How widely is the Arrival Timing Task used in research?
41 papers from 2021 to 2025 name it in their title or abstract, up 11% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 390 of 582 test families in the ConductCognition test census (use grade D). Source: ConductCognition test census 0.39.0, counted 8 November 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
How much reliability evidence does the Arrival Timing Task have?
In the published research, 1 paper reports its test-retest reliability and 3 registered clinical studies use it as an outcome (evidence grade C in the ConductCognition test census).
Does it report a percentile?
No. Scores and quality flags only.
Which settings can a researcher change?
Trials per condition (4 to 16). Settings can be changed on yearly plans; free and pay-as-you-go studies use the standard settings.
Which languages can participants use?
Participants can take this test in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese. English is on every plan, and the other languages come with yearly plans. Have a native speaker read the machine-translated text before launch.
Is this a clinical test?
No. ConductCognition is for research use only. It runs, scores and exports the test; clinical interpretation is outside the platform.
Every test: the full test list.
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