Can I run the Spatial Working Memory Task online?
Yes. ConductCognition runs the Spatial Working Memory Task in a browser-based participant flow with study setup, automated scoring, and export-ready results.
Working Memory
Spatial Working Memory Task
Measure self-ordered spatial search, between-search errors, and strategy use in the browser.
Useful for CANTAB-style working-memory batteries, frontal-systems research, and aging studies.
Working Memory6-8 minBrowser-based testing workflow
Preview
Cognitive test preview
What this task measures
Measures spatial working memory and search strategy by asking participants to find hidden tokens in boxes while avoiding boxes where tokens were already found.
Core constructs
- Spatial working memory
- Self-ordered search
- Strategy use
- Frontal executive control
Research fit
- Working-memory batteries
- Frontal-lobe and executive-function research
- Aging and neurodegeneration studies
- CANTAB-comparison spatial-memory endpoints
Why researchers use ConductCognition
- Hosted browser delivery with no local install burden for participants.
- Study setup, scoring, exports, and participant links in one workflow.
- Transparent pricing instead of opaque enterprise quoting for solo labs.
- Free entry tier plus Academic Pro when you need the full battery and trial-level exports.
Paradigm overview
Spatial Working Memory asks participants to search colored boxes for hidden tokens. Once a token is found in a box, future tokens do not appear in that box, so participants must remember both within-search choices and boxes that have already yielded tokens.
The implementation logs every box click with level, search index, selected box, token result, whether the box was already a found-token box, and whether the box was repeated within the current search. This supports CANTAB-style between-search errors, within-search errors, and strategy scoring.
Key scoring outputs
Between-Search Errors
countClicks on boxes where tokens had already been found in prior searches.
Lower is better
Within-Search Errors
countRepeated clicks on the same box within a single search.
Lower is better
Strategy Score
countNumber of distinct boxes used as the first choice across searches and levels.
Lower is typically better
Total Errors
countBetween-search plus within-search errors.
Lower is better
Mean Latency
msAverage latency across search clicks.
Lower is informational, not always better
Research evidence and scoring context
De Luca et al. (2003), Robbins et al. (1994), and Owen et al. (1990) CANTAB SWM literature.
N 112818-79
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Related task pages
Research FAQ
Common questions about this online cognitive test
What does this test measure?
Spatial Working Memory Task is used for spatial working memory, self-ordered search, strategy use research workflows.
What data can researchers export?
Researchers can export scored results, and paid plans support trial-level exports for deeper analysis.
Is this for clinical diagnosis?
ConductCognition is for research use. The platform supports task delivery, scoring, and exports; clinical interpretation remains outside the platform.