Test Your Cognitive Processing Speed
The Stroop Effect is a psychological phenomenon discovered by John Ridley Stroop in 1935. It demonstrates the interference that occurs when the brain processes conflicting information - specifically when you try to name the color of ink used to print a word, but the word itself spells out a different color name.
Try to say the color of each word, not the word itself. Notice how your brain wants to read the word instead?
Reading is such an automatic process for literate adults that your brain can't help but read the word. This automatic reading interferes with the task of identifying the ink color.
Your brain processes words faster than it identifies colors. When these two pieces of information conflict, it creates cognitive interference that slows your response time.
The Stroop Effect requires you to use selective attention - consciously focusing on the color while ignoring the word. This takes mental effort and demonstrates the limits of our cognitive control.
Our interactive Stroop Effect tool helps you:
You'll be presented with color words displayed in different colored ink. Your task is to identify the color of the ink, not the word itself. The faster and more accurately you respond, the higher your score.