Decision Making
Monetary Incentive Delay Task
Also called: MID task, reward anticipation task
Measure reward and loss anticipation as cues for points to win or lose speed responses to a brief target with an adaptive duration.
6-9 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. Preview any test free after you sign up.
- Papers, 2021 to 2025
- 342
- Evidence grade
- B
- Registered clinical studies
- 106
What it measures
Measures how the chance to win or the threat of losing points speeds responses to a brief target, a behavioral index of reward anticipation.
Constructs
- Reward anticipation
- Loss anticipation
- Incentive motivation
- Response speed
Research uses
- Reward processing research
- Motivation and anhedonia research
- Behavioral companion to neuroimaging studies
- Within-study group comparison
How the paradigm works
The Monetary Incentive Delay task measures how the chance to win or the threat of losing points speeds a simple response. On each round a shape shows what is at stake: a circle for points to win, a square for points to lose and a triangle for none, with one, two or three lines inside for 1, 5 or 25 points. After a short delay with a cross, a white target square appears briefly, and participants press the spacebar before it disappears. A hit wins the points on a gain round and avoids the loss on a loss round.
More about the paradigm
The timing follows Knutson and colleagues (2001): a 250 ms cue, a 2 to 2.5 second delay, and 1.65 seconds of feedback with the running total. The target's duration adapts after every round with a weighted up-down rule, so each participant hits about 66% of targets (60% is available, as in the 2000 study). The standard task has 72 rounds after 8 practice rounds, with gain, loss and neutral rounds in a 3:3:2 ratio. Cue order and delays come from the session's seed. The points are hypothetical unless the study pays.
Scores
- Anticipatory Speedingms
- Mean response time on neutral rounds minus mean response time on gain rounds.
- Higher means a larger speed-up when points can be won
- Loss-Avoidance Speedingms
- Mean response time on neutral rounds minus mean response time on loss rounds.
- Higher means a larger speed-up when points can be lost
- Mean RT, Gain Roundsms
- Mean time from target onset to the press on gain rounds, over presses at or after 100 ms.
- Informational
- Mean RT, Loss Roundsms
- Mean time from target onset to the press on loss rounds, over presses at or after 100 ms.
- Informational
- Mean RT, Neutral Roundsms
- Mean time from target onset to the press on neutral rounds, over presses at or after 100 ms.
- Informational
- Hit Rate, Gain Rounds%
- Share of gain rounds with a press while the target was shown.
- Informational
- Hit Rate, Loss Rounds%
- Share of loss rounds with a press while the target was shown.
- Informational
- Hit Rate, Neutral Rounds%
- Share of neutral rounds with a press while the target was shown.
- Informational
- Hit Rate%
- Share of all rounds hit. The adaptive target time aims for 66% as standard.
- Informational
- Total Pointspoints
- Points won on gain rounds minus points lost on loss rounds.
- Informational
- Anticipationscount
- Presses under 100 ms after the target appeared.
- Lower is better
- Early Pressescount
- Rounds with a press during the cue or the cross.
- Lower is better
- Omissionscount
- Rounds with no press at all.
- Lower is better
- Final Target Durationms
- Target duration on the last round, set by the adaptive rule.
- Informational
Use and evidence
342 papers from 2021 to 2025 name this task in their title or abstract, up 24% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 75 of 395 test families in our census. See the counts for every test.
Show the numbers
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 |
| 2024 | 57 |
| 2023 | 68 |
| 2022 | 72 |
| 2021 | 64 |
| 2020 | 65 |
| 2019 | 60 |
| 2018 | 47 |
| 2017 | 50 |
| 2016 | 53 |
| 2015 | 45 |
| 2014 | 44 |
| 2013 | 31 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2011 | 24 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2000 | 1 |
Use grade B
300 to 999 papers from 2021 to 2025.
Evidence grade B
At least 8 test-retest papers, and either 5 registered clinical studies or 150 reliability or validity papers.
- Papers on test-retest reliability
- 15
- Papers on reliability or validity
- 60
- Registered clinical studies using it as an outcome
- 106
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 0.14.0, counted 31 October 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
Task design
The trial sequence as the test runs in ConductCognition.
- Cues
- A circle means points to win, a square points to lose and a triangle nothing at stake. One, two or three lines inside mean 1, 5 or 25 points.
- Rounds
- 72 rounds standard (40 to 144), 3 gain, 3 loss and 2 neutral in every 8, after 8 practice rounds.
- Timing
- Cue 250 ms, then a cross for 2,000 to 2,500 ms, then the target. Presses count up to 1,000 ms after target onset.
- Target
- A solid white square, answered with the spacebar before it disappears. Practice targets last 500 ms.
- Adaptive time
- The test starts from the practice response times. The target gets 10 ms shorter after a hit and longer after a miss, so 66% (standard) or 60% of targets are hit, within 150 to 500 ms.
- Feedback
- The result and the running total show for 1,650 ms, then a 500 ms gap. A press before the target, or under 100 ms after it appears, is too early.
- Money
- Points are hypothetical by default; a setting changes the instruction line to say the study pays.
Knutson and colleagues ran the task in a scanner with 6-second rounds and real money. Here the cue, delay, target and feedback times follow the 2001 study, rounds are not padded to 6 seconds, and the target range is wider to allow for browser and keyboard delay.
Quality checks
Each session is marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason, before you see its scores.
Scored rows: the scored run's test targets. One key and no correct option, so accuracy is not judged against chance. More than max(3, 25%) rounds with no press or more than max(2, 20%) presses under 100 ms after the target invalidate, and any is flagged. Presses during the cue or the cross follow the same limits as presses under 100 ms.
Why these rules
There is no correct option to compare with chance, so accuracy is not judged against chance. Missed responses and responses under 100 ms keep the platform's timed-test rule: more than max(3, 25%) missed responses or more than max(2, 20%) responses under 100 ms invalidate, and any is flagged. A response under 100 ms cannot be a reaction to the stimulus. A press during the cue or the cross comes before the target, so it is held to the same limits. Late presses never count against the session, because the adaptive target is set so that about a third of rounds are missed.
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Number of trials | 72 | 40 to 144 |
| Target hit rate | 66% (standard, Knutson et al. 2001) | 66% (standard, Knutson et al. 2001), 60% (Knutson et al. 2000) |
| Payment line | Hypothetical points (standard) | Hypothetical points (standard), The study pays for points |
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.
- Recruiting online? See the setup guides for Prolific, Sona Systems, CloudResearch Connect and Qualtrics.
Cite and describe
Participants completed the Monetary Incentive Delay task in a web browser (ConductCognition task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0; Knutson B, Westdorp A, Kaiser E, Hommer D, 2000), with the standard settings (number of trials: 72; target hit rate: 66% (standard, Knutson et al. 2001); payment line: Hypothetical points). The main score was anticipatory speeding (mean response time on neutral rounds minus mean response time on gain rounds).
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- Knutson, B., Westdorp, A., Kaiser, E., & Hommer, D. (2000). FMRI visualization of brain activity during a monetary incentive delay task. NeuroImage, 12(1), 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1006/nimg.2000.0593
- Knutson, B., Adams, C. M., Fong, G. W., & Hommer, D. (2001). Anticipation of increasing monetary reward selectively recruits nucleus accumbens. Journal of Neuroscience, 21(16), RC159. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-16-j0002.2001Cue shapes, amounts and timing.
- Kaernbach, C. (1991). Simple adaptive testing with the weighted up-down method. Perception & Psychophysics, 49(3), 227-229. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03214307The adaptive rule for the target time.
Source papers
- Knutson B, Westdorp A, Kaiser E, Hommer D (2000). FMRI visualization of brain activity during a monetary incentive delay task. NeuroImage, 12(1):20-27.Paradigm source, Adults
- Knutson B, Adams CM, Fong GW, Hommer D (2001). Anticipation of increasing monetary reward selectively recruits nucleus accumbens. Journal of Neuroscience, 21(16):RC159.Paradigm source, Adults
Questions
How long does the Monetary Incentive Delay Task take?
About 6 to 9 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?
Anticipatory Speeding, Loss-Avoidance Speeding, Mean RT, Gain Rounds, Mean RT, Loss Rounds, Mean RT, Neutral Rounds, Hit Rate, Gain Rounds, Hit Rate, Loss Rounds, Hit Rate, Neutral Rounds, Hit Rate, Total Points, Anticipations, Early Presses, Omissions and Final Target Duration. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
How widely is the Monetary Incentive Delay Task used in research?
342 papers from 2021 to 2025 name it in their title or abstract, up 24% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 75 of 395 test families in the ConductCognition test census (use grade B). Source: ConductCognition test census 0.14.0, counted 31 October 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
How much reliability evidence does the Monetary Incentive Delay Task have?
In the published research, 15 papers report its test-retest reliability and 106 registered clinical studies use it as an outcome (evidence grade B in the ConductCognition test census).
Which settings can a researcher change?
Number of trials (40 to 144), target hit rate (66% (standard, Knutson et al. 2001), 60% (Knutson et al. 2000)) and payment line (Hypothetical points (standard), The study pays for points). 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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