How long does the Spatial Working Memory Task take?
About 6 to 8 minutes, as listed in the test library.
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.
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.
Working memory6-8 minTimed: desktop or laptop with a mouse or trackpad
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
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
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Response timeout (ms) | 30,000 | 10,000 to 60,000 |
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
- 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: Owen AM, Downes JJ, Sahakian BJ, Polkey CE, Robbins TW (1990).
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
Source papers
De Luca et al. (2003), Robbins et al. (1994), and Owen et al. (1990) CANTAB SWM literature.
N 112818-79
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?
Between-Search Errors, Within-Search Errors, Strategy Score, Total Errors and Mean Latency. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
Which settings can a researcher change?
Response timeout (ms) (10,000 to 60,000). 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.