How long does the Pattern Recognition Memory Task take?
About 4 to 5 minutes, as listed in the test library.
Episodic Memory
Pattern Recognition Memory Task
Measure old/new visual pattern recognition with procedural non-proprietary stimuli and automated scoring.
Useful for visual recognition-memory protocols, aging studies, and CANTAB-adjacent research batteries.
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.
Episodic memory4-5 minUntimed
Preview
Cognitive test preview
What this task measures
Measures visual pattern recognition by asking participants to recognize previously studied abstract patterns among novel foils.
Core constructs
- Visual recognition memory
- Pattern discrimination
- Medial-temporal memory
- Recognition sensitivity
Research fit
- Visual memory studies
- Aging and medial-temporal research
- CANTAB-comparison batteries
- Recognition-memory endpoints
Paradigm overview
Pattern Recognition Memory presents abstract visual patterns for study and then asks participants to identify whether later patterns are old or new.
The first release ships the immediate-recognition condition. The delayed recognition phase is intentionally deferred until the study orchestrator can schedule a second PRM phase after intervening tasks.
Key scoring outputs
Percent Correct
proportionProportion of old/new recognition trials answered correctly.
Higher is better
Hits
countPreviously studied patterns correctly recognized as old.
Higher is better
False Alarms
countNovel patterns incorrectly endorsed as old.
Lower is better
d-Prime
d'Signal detection sensitivity for old/new recognition.
Higher is better
Mean Correct RT
msAverage latency for correct recognition responses.
Lower is better
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Study items | 12 | 8 to 24 |
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 and laptops. Participant devices
- Task text: English.
- 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
Paradigm source: CANTAB Pattern Recognition Memory paradigm; Snodgrass & Corwin (1988).
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.1, scoring version 1.0.1. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
Source papers
De Luca et al. (2003) and Robbins et al. (1994) CANTAB PRM norms.
N 112818-79
Research FAQ
Common questions about this online cognitive test
What device does a participant need?
Untimed test: runs on desktops and laptops. The browser must be Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
What scores does it produce?
Percent Correct, Hits, False Alarms, d-Prime and Mean Correct RT. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
Which settings can a researcher change?
Study items (8 to 24). 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. Participant pages can be in Italian on yearly plans, but this test's screens stay in English.
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.