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The Go/No-Go Task
Can You Control Your Impulse?

The Go/No-Go Task measures two critical cognitive abilities: motor inhibition (impulse control) and sustained attention (vigilance). You'll see a rapid stream of letters, and you must respond quickly to most of them—but withhold your response when you see the letter X.

How It Works:

  • Letters will appear rapidly on screen, one at a time (1 second each)
  • GO signals: Press the SPACEBAR for any letter except X
  • NO-GO signal: When you see X, do NOT press anything!
  • Respond as quickly as possible to build the habit
  • Most trials (80%) will be GO signals

✓ GO Signal Example:

A

Press SPACEBAR as quickly as possible!

✋ NO-GO Signal:

X

DO NOT PRESS! Withhold your response!

What This Measures:

Commission Errors (responding to X): Measures impulsivity and your ability to inhibit an automatic response.

Omission Errors (missing a Go signal): Measures sustained attention and your ability to maintain focus.

Scientific Background: The Go/No-Go task is a foundational paradigm in cognitive neuroscience. The high frequency of Go trials builds a prepotent (automatic) response tendency, making the No-Go signal a true test of motor inhibition. Your performance on both error types provides insights into different aspects of executive function.