Attention
Spectral Ripple Task
Also called: spectral ripple discrimination, spectral-ripple resolution, spectral pattern discrimination
Measure how well people distinguish sound patterns: hear three noise sounds through headphones and choose the one with a different spectrum.
5-7 minUntimed
Free to start: 10 free participants per account, then $0.99 per participant for academic research, or any yearly plan. Try it here first, with no account.
- Papers, 2021 to 2025
- 127
- Evidence grade
- B
- Registered clinical studies
- 9
What it measures
Measures how well people distinguish changes in a sound's spectral pattern. Hear three noise sounds through headphones and choose the one that differs. Five fixed ripple densities give accuracy overall and by density. Results describe sound comparisons in this task.
Constructs
- Spectral pattern discrimination
- Auditory attention
Research uses
- Auditory perception research
- Within-study sound comparisons
How the paradigm works
Spectral ripple discrimination compares patterns of peaks and troughs in a sound spectrum. The participant hears three noise bursts and identifies the one whose spectral pattern differs. Fixed-density accuracy provides a measure for comparing sound-pattern judgments within a study.
More about the paradigm
Set a comfortable volume and complete the 6-trial headphone check. A failed check stops the task by default; researchers can choose to continue with a quality flag.
Three noise bursts, 500 ms each with 50 ms ramps and 400 ms gaps. Two have the same spectral envelope; one reverses its peaks and troughs. Choose First, Second or Third with no time limit.
Noise from 200 to 5000 Hz, with 20 dB peak-to-trough modulation. Five densities: 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 ripples per octave. A new base phase is drawn for each trial and each burst uses independent noise.
Each density repeats 12 times (6 to 24 as a setting): 60 scored trials. Target intervals are balanced within each density to within one trial. Every round presents each density once in a seeded order.
3 trials at 0.5 ripples per octave, with feedback for 1,000 ms. Scored trials give no feedback.
Each sound is normalized to the same RMS before an independent level change of up to 2 dB, centered 14 dB below the volume-setting tone. The pattern, not loudness, identifies the odd sound.
Accuracy overall and by density, first-interval choice share, response time and completed trials. Responses under 100 ms from the answer buttons opening are excluded. No adaptive threshold is fitted.
Scores
- Accuracy%
- Share of usable responses that identify the different sound.
- Higher means more patterns distinguished; chance is one third
- Accuracy by ripple density%
- Share correct at each density in ripples per octave.
- Informational
- First interval choices%
- Share of usable choices naming the first sound.
- Informational
- Median answer timems
- Median time after the answer buttons open.
- Informational
- Anticipationscount
- Responses under 100 ms, excluded from scores.
- Informational
- Completed trialstrials
- Trials with a valid answer in the selected run.
- Informational
- Planned trialstrials
- Number planned for the selected scored run.
- Informational
- Headphone check passedscore
- 1 for a passed equipment check, 0 for a failed check.
- Informational
- Headphone check correctcount
- Correct equipment-check responses out of six.
- Informational
- Reported output delayms
- Output delay reported by the browser, or empty when unavailable.
- Informational
Use and evidence
127 papers from 2021 to 2025 name this task in their title or abstract, down 29% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 212 of 582 test families in our census. See the counts for every test.
Show the numbers
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2022 | 26 |
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2020 | 33 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2018 | 44 |
| 2017 | 26 |
| 2016 | 36 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2014 | 27 |
| 2013 | 26 |
| 2012 | 28 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2007 | 17 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2000 | 14 |
Use grade C
100 to 299 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
- 10
- Papers on reliability or validity
- 51
- Registered clinical studies using it as an outcome
- 9
Measured on ConductCognition
Pooled across the studies that feed our platform norms, by device group. A figure needs 50 or more people.
No pooled figure yet.
Note on the counts: includes hearing science and cochlear-implant studies.
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 0.39.0, counted 8 November 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
Task design
The trial sequence as the test runs in ConductCognition.
- Sound setup
- Set a comfortable volume and complete the 6-trial headphone check. A failed check stops the task by default; researchers can choose to continue with a quality flag.
- Trial
- Three noise bursts, 500 ms each with 50 ms ramps and 400 ms gaps. Two have the same spectral envelope; one reverses its peaks and troughs. Choose First, Second or Third with no time limit.
- Spectrum
- Noise from 200 to 5000 Hz, with 20 dB peak-to-trough modulation. Five densities: 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 ripples per octave. A new base phase is drawn for each trial and each burst uses independent noise.
- Trials
- Each density repeats 12 times (6 to 24 as a setting): 60 scored trials. Target intervals are balanced within each density to within one trial. Every round presents each density once in a seeded order.
- Practice
- 3 trials at 0.5 ripples per octave, with feedback for 1,000 ms. Scored trials give no feedback.
- Levels
- Each sound is normalized to the same RMS before an independent level change of up to 2 dB, centered 14 dB below the volume-setting tone. The pattern, not loudness, identifies the odd sound.
- Scores
- Accuracy overall and by density, first-interval choice share, response time and completed trials. Responses under 100 ms from the answer buttons opening are excluded. No adaptive threshold is fitted.
This version uses our own filtered noise and fixed densities, rather than the published clinical stimulus set. Headphones, normal hearing and a comfortable volume are required. Levels are relative, not calibrated sound pressure. Compare sessions using the same equipment and settings. Results describe this task and do not assess hearing; no percentile is given.
Quality checks
Each session is marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason, before you see its scores.
Scored rows: spectral_ripple_test from the selected run. Three untimed choices, chance one third. Accuracy is recomputed from the saved answer and target. Below chance invalidates; not above chance is flagged. A repeated answer invalidates only with accuracy not above chance. Answers under 100 ms leave scores and invalidate when at least half; failed headphones or an incomplete run are flagged, and a stopped check leaves no results.
Why these rules
Accuracy significantly below chance (one-sided exact test, p < .05) cannot come from guessing; it means the response mapping was reversed or the task was not followed (Slick, Sherman and Iverson 1999 treat below-chance forced-choice performance as definite response bias). Chance-level accuracy can be a real result in impaired participants, so it is only flagged. One option on at least 90% of answered trials, when the correct options are balanced and accuracy is not above chance, means the answers did not depend on the items (the task counterpart of long-string responding in surveys; Curran 2016). Answers open only after the sounds finish. Headphones are required for the sound comparisons.
No percentile. Scores and quality flags only.
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| When the headphone check fails | Stop the test | Stop the test, Continue the test |
| Trials per density | 12 | 6 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, laptops, tablets and phones. Needs headphones. Participant devices
- Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese.
- Available on: Every plan, including the free plan.
- No percentile. Scores and quality flags only. How norms work
- Recruiting online? See the setup guides for Prolific, Sona Systems, CloudResearch Connect and Qualtrics.
Cite and describe
Participants completed the Spectral Ripple Task in a web browser (ConductCognition task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0; Drennan and colleagues, 2014), with the standard settings (when the headphone check fails: Stop the test; trials per density: 12). The main score was accuracy (share of usable responses that identify the different sound).
ConductCognition versions: task version 1.0.0, scoring version 1.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- Drennan, W. R., Anderson, E. S., Won, J. H., & Rubinstein, J. T. (2014). Validation of a clinical assessment of spectral-ripple resolution for cochlear implant users. Ear and Hearing, 35(3), e92-e98. https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0000000000000009Three-interval spectral pattern discrimination and fixed-density accuracy. This browser adaptation uses its own stimuli and makes no clinical inference.
- Woods, K. J. P., Siegel, M. H., Traer, J., & McDermott, J. H. (2017). Headphone screening to facilitate web-based auditory experiments. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 79(7), 2064-2072. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-017-1361-2The shared headphone check.
Source papers
- Drennan, W. R., Anderson, E. S., Won, J. H., & Rubinstein, J. T. (2014). Validation of a clinical assessment of spectral-ripple resolution for cochlear implant users. Ear and Hearing, 35(3), e92-e98.Paradigm source, Adults
Questions
How long does the Spectral Ripple Task take?
About 5 to 7 minutes, as listed in the test library.
What device does a participant need?
Untimed test: runs on desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. Needs headphones. The browser must be Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
What scores does it produce?
Accuracy, Accuracy by ripple density, First interval choices, Median answer time, Anticipations, Completed trials, Planned trials, Headphone check passed, Headphone check correct and Reported output delay. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
How widely is the Spectral Ripple Task used in research?
127 papers from 2021 to 2025 name it in their title or abstract, down 29% compared with 2016 to 2020. That ranks it 212 of 582 test families in the ConductCognition test census (use grade C). Source: ConductCognition test census 0.39.0, counted 8 November 2026 from OpenAlex and ClinicalTrials.gov.
How much reliability evidence does the Spectral Ripple Task have?
In the published research, 10 papers report its test-retest reliability and 9 registered clinical studies use it as an outcome (evidence grade B in the ConductCognition test census).
Does it report a percentile?
No. Scores and quality flags only.
Which settings can a researcher change?
When the headphone check fails (Stop the test, Continue the test) and trials per density (6 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?
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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