Question 1

What is the psychomotor vigilance test?

Accepted Answer

The psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) is a sustained attention test. A counter appears at unpredictable moments and you stop it as fast as possible. Because waiting is boring, your attention drifts, and the test measures how often and how much your responses slow down. Researchers use it to measure alertness and the effects of sleep loss.

Question 2

How long is the PVT: 3 or 10 minutes?

Accepted Answer

The standard PVT lasts 10 minutes and is the most sensitive version. The PVT-B lasts 3 minutes and was validated against the standard test in a sleep deprivation study; it uses shorter gaps and a lower lapse threshold to make up for its length. Choose 3 minutes for quick daily checks and 10 minutes when you want the most reliable result.

Question 3

What counts as a lapse, and how many is normal?

Accepted Answer

A lapse is a response at or above the threshold: 500 ms on the 10-minute test and 355 ms on the 3-minute test. Missed counters also count. In research, well-rested adults usually have only a few lapses, while sleep loss makes them rise sharply. Browser and screen delays add some milliseconds here, so compare results with your own earlier runs on the same device rather than with lab numbers.

Question 4

What is a false start?

Accepted Answer

A false start is a press before the counter appears, or a response faster than 100 ms, which is too fast to be a real reaction. They often go up when you are tired or trying too hard to be fast. False starts are counted separately and do not add a reaction time.

Question 5

How is the PVT different from a reaction time test?

Accepted Answer

A regular reaction time test takes a few tries and looks at how fast you can be. The PVT runs for several minutes with long, random waits and looks at how consistently fast you stay. That is why lapses, the slowest 10% and response speed matter more on the PVT than your single fastest time.

Question 6

Is this an official PVT or a fatigue test?

Accepted Answer

No. It follows the published PVT settings, but it runs in a web browser without calibrated hardware and it is not a medical, fatigue or fitness-for-duty assessment. Use it to track your own alertness over time, ideally at the same time of day and on the same device.

Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT)

🎯 How to Play

Cognitive Benefits

Sustained Attention

Alertness Tracking

Reaction Speed

The Science Behind the Game

Where the PVT comes from

FAQ

Related Games

Reaction Time Test

Flanker Test

Schulte Table

Training Categories