Go/No-Go Test

The Go/No-Go Test measures response inhibition and selective attention through a rapid stimulus-response task. It assesses the ability to execute responses to designated stimuli while withholding responses to others under time pressure.

How It Works

Stimuli appear on screen in rapid succession. You respond to Go stimuli by pressing the spacebar or tapping on mobile. You withhold response to No-Go stimuli. The test runs for 45 seconds. Presentation timing is randomized to prevent anticipatory responding.

What Gets Measured

Go accuracy — proportion of Go stimuli that received a correct response, reflecting response sensitivity.

No-Go accuracy — proportion of No-Go stimuli where response was successfully withheld, reflecting inhibitory control.

Average reaction time — mean response latency on correct Go trials.

False alarm rate — frequency of responses made to No-Go stimuli, the primary inhibition failure metric.

Understanding Your Results

High Go accuracy with high No-Go accuracy reflects both response sensitivity and inhibitory control operating effectively under time pressure. High Go accuracy with elevated false alarm rate suggests response threshold is set low, prioritizing speed over inhibition. Low Go accuracy with high No-Go accuracy suggests a conservative response strategy that avoids false alarms at the cost of missed responses.

Limitations

This test measures inhibitory control within a single stimulus-type detection task over 45 seconds. It does not assess inhibitory control in complex real-world contexts involving emotional regulation, social behavior, or sustained self-regulation over longer periods. The Go/No-Go paradigm is used in clinical research contexts including ADHD and concussion assessment, but performance on this implementation should not be interpreted as diagnostic of any condition. Results are sensitive to response device type and baseline alertness.

Related Tests

Attention Span Test — working memory and sustained attention
Stroop Test — interference control