How long does the Dot-Probe Task take?
About 3 to 5 minutes, as listed in the test library.
Attention
Dot-Probe Task
Also called: dot probe task, attentional probe task
Measure attentional bias toward threat words with balanced threat and dot positions and frame-timed word displays.
Useful for anxiety, mood, attention bias modification, and experimental psychopathology research.
Run it with participant credits from $0.99 per participant, or any yearly plan. Preview any test free after you sign up.
Attention3-5 minTimed: desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpadPaid plans and pay as you go
terror+cattle
+
↑
↓
Two words flash; press the arrow for the dot
What the participant sees
One trial, screen by screen, with the timings the test uses.
500 ms
A cross
500 ms
Two words above and below the cross
Until a key press, up to 2,000 ms
A dot where one word was
- ↑
- Dot above the cross
- ↓
- Dot below the cross
The cross and the words switch on screen frames, and their measured durations are saved.
Example stimuli
Taken from the test's own stimuli.
Threat pair
Valence 1.68 and 5.27; Zipf 4.05 and 4.04
Neutral filler pair
Valence 5.09 and 4.74
Session structure
Practice
8 neutral trials
Dot behind threat word
32 trials
Dot behind neutral word
32 trials
Neutral fillers
32 trials
Scores and how they are computed
RT means response time. Mean RTs use correct responses at or after 100 ms.
- Attentional Biasms
- Incongruent minus congruent mean correct RT on threat trials.
- Positive values mean attention was drawn to threat words
- Congruent RTms
- Mean correct response time when the dot replaced the threat word.
- Lower is faster
- Incongruent RTms
- Mean correct response time when the dot replaced the neutral word.
- Lower is faster
- Neutral RTms
- Mean correct response time on neutral filler trials.
- Lower is faster
- Accuracyproportion
- Share of all test trials answered with the dot's side.
- Higher is better
- Bias, Odd Trialsms
- The bias from odd-numbered threat trials. With the even-trial score, it supports a study's split-half reliability.
- For split-half reliability across a study
- Bias, Even Trialsms
- The bias from even-numbered threat trials.
- For split-half reliability across a study
Example dataOne simulated session, scored by the code that scores your study's sessions.
- Dot behind threat word475.8 ms
- Dot behind neutral word522 ms
- Neutral fillers508.8 ms
Mean correct response time (ms)
- Attentional bias
- 46.2 ms
- Bias, odd trials
- 25.5 ms
- Bias, even trials
- 68.5 ms
| Dot behind threat word, mean correct response time | 475.8 ms |
|---|---|
| Dot behind neutral word, mean correct response time | 522 ms |
| Neutral fillers, mean correct response time | 508.8 ms |
What this task measures
Measures whether attention is drawn toward threatening words. A threat word and a neutral word flash above and below a cross, then a dot appears where one of them was and participants report its position with the arrow keys.
Core constructs
- Attentional bias to threat
- Selective attention
- Emotion and attention
Research fit
- Anxiety and mood research at the group level
- Attention bias modification studies
- Experimental psychopathology
Paradigm overview
The dot-probe task measures whether attention is drawn toward threatening words. After a 500 ms cross, two words flash for 500 ms, one above and one below it. A dot then appears where one of the words was, and participants press the up or down arrow for its position as quickly as they can. The cross and the words switch on screen frames and their measured durations are saved.
The standard 96 trials hold 64 threat trials and 32 neutral filler trials. Each of 32 threat-neutral word pairs is shown twice: once with the dot where the threat word was (congruent) and once where the neutral word was (incongruent), with the threat word on the other side the second time. Threat position, dot position and congruency are fully balanced, and trials run in a recorded random order with no more than four dots in a row on one side. Threat words have Glasgow Norms valence of 3 or less and arousal of 5.5 or more; neutral words are matched for length and frequency. Practice has 8 neutral trials with feedback, and participants are told that some words are unpleasant.
The attentional bias score is the incongruent minus congruent mean correct response time on threat trials; positive values mean attention was drawn to threat. Dot-probe bias scores are often unreliable for one person, so the score describes groups, and each session also reports the score from odd and even threat trials so a study can report its split-half reliability. The words are English, and sessions run in other languages are flagged for review.
Task design as built
The trial sequence participants see, as the test runs in ConductCognition. Settings a researcher can change are listed below.
- Trial
- A 500 ms cross, two words for 500 ms, then a dot until a response or 2,000 ms.
- Keys
- Up and down arrows for the dot's position.
- Items
- 96 trials: 64 threat trials (32 threat-neutral pairs, each shown twice) and 32 neutral fillers.
- Balance
- Threat position, dot position and congruency fully balanced; no more than four dots in a row on one side.
- Words
- Threat words with valence 3 or less and arousal 5.5 or more, each paired with a neutral word of the same length and frequency.
- Practice
- 8 neutral trials with feedback.
Dot-probe bias scores describe groups, not one person. Each session also reports odd- and even-trial scores so a study can report split-half reliability. The words are English.
Data you get
Every response is saved as it happens. Download scores for all plans, and every trial on yearly plans or with participant credits.
Trial columns for this test
- phase
- practice or test. Scores use test rows.
- trial_number
- Order of the trial within its phase.
- random_seed
- Seed of the session's trial order, to rebuild it.
- trial_kind
- threat or filler.
- top_word
- The word above the cross.
- bottom_word
- The word below the cross.
- threat_position
- Where the threat word was: top or bottom.
- dot_position
- Where the dot appeared: top or bottom.
- congruency
- congruent (dot behind the threat word) or incongruent.
- pair_number
- Matches the two showings of each pair.
- display_durations_ms
- Measured durations of the cross and the words.
- correct_response
- The right key for the trial.
- response
- The key pressed, empty when none.
- rt
- Response time in ms from the moment the screen to answer appeared.
- correct
- Whether the key pressed was the right one.
- timed_out
- No key before the time limit.
- anticipation
- A key under 100 ms, too fast to be a response.
Columns in every export
- participant_id
- Short participant code, the same in every file of the study.
- external_id
- Your own participant ID, when you add one.
- test_version
- Task version the session ran.
- scoring_version
- Scoring version the scores came from.
- customization_status
- standard, or scored_modified when the study changed a setting.
- configuration_json
- The task settings the session ran with.
- is_valid
- The session's quality status (scores file).
- quality_primary_reason
- The main reason when a session needs review or is invalid (scores file).
- started_at
- When the session started (scores file).
- completed_at
- When the session ended (scores file).
Quality checks
Each session is marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
Scored rows: dot_probe_test from the scored run, up or down arrow for the dot's side (chance 50%, the dot is at the top on half the trials) within 2,000 ms. Below chance invalidates and not above chance is flagged. One key on 90% of answers invalidates when accuracy is not above chance. Missed responses and responses under 100 ms follow the timed-test rule. A mean word-display timing error above 20 ms, or a session run in a language other than English, is flagged for review.
No percentile. Scores and quality flags only.
Running this test
Settings you can change
This test runs with fixed settings.
Need a different version of this test?
Devices and languages
- Timed test: participants need a desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad. Participant devices
- Task text: English and Italian.
- Available on: Paid plans and pay as you go.
- 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
Methods text, with the standard settings
Participants completed the Dot-Probe Task in a web browser (ConductCognition task version 1.0.1, scoring version 1.0.1; MacLeod, Mathews & Tata, 1986). Attentional bias was computed as the incongruent minus congruent mean correct response time on threat trials. Mean response times used correct responses at or after 100 ms.
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.1, scoring version 1.0.1. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. (1986). Attentional bias in emotional disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(1), 15-20. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.95.1.15
- Schmukle, S. C. (2005). Unreliability of the dot probe task. European Journal of Personality, 19(7), 595-605. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.554
Source papers
MacLeod C, Mathews A, Tata P (1986). Attentional bias in emotional disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(1):15-20.
Paradigm sourceAdults
Schmukle SC (2005). Unreliability of the dot probe task. European Journal of Personality, 19(7):595-605.
Paradigm sourceAdults
Research FAQ
Common questions about this online cognitive test
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?
Attentional Bias, Congruent RT, Incongruent RT, Neutral RT, Accuracy, Bias, Odd Trials and Bias, Even Trials. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
How is attentional bias computed?
Incongruent minus congruent mean correct RT on threat trials.
How can a study report reliability?
The bias from odd-numbered threat trials. With the even-trial score, it supports a study's split-half reliability.
Does it report a percentile?
No. Scores and quality flags only.
Which languages can participants use?
The test's own text is in English and Italian. Italian participant pages come with yearly plans.
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.
Run this test in your next study
Start free with the free plan's tests, or use participant credits for any test.
Related tests