logoFreeFocusGames

Flanker Test

Free online Eriksen flanker task for selective attention

Take the flanker test online for free, no sign-up. After 4 practice trials you get 40 timed trials, then your accuracy, average reaction time and flanker effect: how many extra milliseconds conflicting arrows cost you compared with matching ones.

The center arrow points left, so choose Left.

🎯 How to Play

Each trial shows a row of five arrows. Only the arrow in the middle matters.

  • Look at the + in the center of the screen. The arrows appear right where it was.
  • Press ← or A if the center arrow points left, → or D if it points right. On a phone, tap the Left or Right button.
  • Ignore the four flanking arrows. They point the same way (congruent), the opposite way (incongruent), or are plain dashes (neutral).
  • Answer within 2 seconds. The first 4 trials are practice and are not scored.

Cognitive Benefits

Selective Attention

Strengthen your ability to focus on relevant information while filtering out distracting stimuli in your environment.

Processing Speed

Improve how quickly and accurately your brain can process visual information and make decisions under time pressure.

Executive Control

Enhance your brain's ability to override automatic responses and maintain goal-directed behavior despite interference.

The Science Behind the Game

The Eriksen Flanker Task and Selective Attention

The flanker task was introduced by Barbara and Charles Eriksen in 1974 to study how nearby distractors affect the response to a target. The original used letters; arrow versions are now the most common. People answer more slowly and make more errors when the flankers point the opposite way, and the size of this slowdown, the flanker effect, is used as a measure of selective attention and inhibitory control. An age-normed flanker test is also part of the NIH Toolbox cognition battery. This page uses the same arrow design for practice and self-checks, not for diagnosis.

FAQ

Related Games

Stroop Effect TestSelective Attention

Stroop Effect Test

Take a free Stroop effect test online by naming the ink color instead of the word. Train selective attention, inhibition control, and conflict resolution while tracking your reaction time.

Reaction Time TestReaction Time

Reaction Time Test

Use this free online reaction time test to check how quickly you respond to a visual signal and compare your result against common averages.

Double Decision GameDivided Attention

Double Decision Game

Play a free Double Decision game that combines central vehicle recognition with peripheral road-sign location in one brief glance.

Training Categories

Selective AttentionReaction TimeCognitive FlexibilityADHD Games for Adults