How long does the Iowa Gambling Lite Task take?
About 6 to 9 minutes, as listed in the test library.
Decision Making
Iowa Gambling Lite Task
Measure decision making under uncertainty with four decks that differ in long-run gains and losses, showing each card's win and loss.
Useful for decision-making, reward learning, risk sensitivity, and longitudinal behavioral studies.
Free to start: 10 free participants per account, then $0.99 per participant for academic research, or any yearly plan. Preview any test free after you sign up.
Executive function6-9 minUntimed
DeckA
DeckB
DeckC
DeckD
Deck A
+100, then penalty
Deck D
+50, steady gain
Deck C
Better long-run deck
Early choicesNet score improves
Choose decks and learn which pay off over time
What this task measures
Measures decision making under uncertainty with four card decks that differ in long-run gains and losses.
Core constructs
- Decision making under uncertainty
- Reward and punishment learning
- Risk sensitivity
Research fit
- Decision-making research
- Addiction and impulsivity studies
- Emotion and frontal-lobe research batteries
- Within-study group comparison
Paradigm overview
Iowa Gambling Lite measures decision making when gains and losses are uncertain. Participants start with 2,000 points and choose cards from four decks. Every card wins points, and some cards also lose points. After each card the task shows the win, any loss and the running total.
The decks keep the gains and losses of the task by Bechara and colleagues (1994). Decks A and B pay 100 points per card but lose 250 points over every 10 cards. Decks C and D pay 50 points per card and gain 250 points over every 10 cards. Decks A and C lose on 5 of every 10 cards; decks B and D lose on 1 of every 10 cards, in larger amounts. Losses follow a fixed ConductCognition sequence, so every participant sees the same cards. After 40 cards a deck starts again, so no deck runs out. The standard task has 100 choices.
Scores include the net score, (C + D) minus (A + B), overall and for each block of 20 choices, and the share of choices from decks C and D.
Key scoring outputs
Net Score
countChoices from decks C and D minus choices from decks A and B.
Higher is better
Net Score by Block
countNet score within each block of 20 choices, reported as netScoreBlock1, netScoreBlock2 and so on. Rising block scores show learning.
Higher is better
Advantageous Choice Rate
proportionShare of choices from decks C and D.
Higher is better
Final Points
pointsPoint total after the last card, starting from 2,000.
Informational
Task design as built
The trial sequence participants see, as the test runs in ConductCognition. Settings a researcher can change are listed below.
- Start
- 2,000 points.
- Decks A and B
- 100 points per card, and a net loss of 250 points over every 10 cards.
- Decks C and D
- 50 points per card, and a net gain of 250 points over every 10 cards.
- Losses
- Decks A and C lose on 5 of every 10 cards; decks B and D on 1 of every 10, in larger amounts.
- Feedback
- The win, any loss and the new total for 2 seconds after each card.
The decks keep the gains and losses per 10 cards of Bechara and colleagues (1994), but losses follow ConductCognition's own fixed sequence and each deck starts again after 40 cards, so card-by-card outcomes differ from the published task. Compare results with studies that used the same schedule.
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Number of deck choices | 100 | 40 to 120 |
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
- Untimed test: runs on desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. Participant devices
- Task text: English and Italian.
- Available on: Every plan, including the free plan.
- Recruiting online? See the setup guides for Prolific, Sona Systems, CloudResearch Connect and Qualtrics.
Cite this test
ConductCognition versions: task version 2.0.0, scoring version 2.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- Bechara, A., Damasio, A. R., Damasio, H., & Anderson, S. W. (1994). Insensitivity to future consequences following damage to human prefrontal cortex. Cognition, 50(1-3), 7-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277(94)90018-3
Source papers
Bechara, Damasio, Damasio and Anderson (1994): four-deck task, its gain and loss contingencies, and the net score.
Paradigm sourceAdults
Research FAQ
Common questions about this online cognitive test
What device does a participant need?
Untimed test: runs on desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. The browser must be Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
What scores does it produce?
Net Score, Net Score by Block, Advantageous Choice Rate and Final Points. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
Which settings can a researcher change?
Number of deck choices (40 to 120). Settings can be changed on yearly plans; free and pay-as-you-go studies use the standard settings.
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 10 free participants on any test, then use participant credits or a yearly plan.