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Double Trouble

Double trouble (based upon the Stroop task) assesses response inhibition, which is the ability to concentrate on relevant information to make an appropriate response, even when distracting information or interference is present. It is a key component of concentration.

How to take the Double Trouble Test

Three words appear on the screen: one at the top and two at the bottom. The user's job is to click on the word at the bottom that correctly describes the colour of the word at the top—for example, if the word at the top says “BLUE” but is written in red, the patient must inhibit the tendency to read what the word says, and instead click the word “RED.”

 

The history of Double Trouble

Double Trouble relies on the widely-discussed phenomenon known as the Stroop effect, referring to the increased difficulty in naming the print colour of a word when the text of the word refers to a different colour. It is thought to be due to interference from automatic word recognition, making tasks like Double Trouble ideal indications of proper response inhibition. The Creyos version is harder than the classic Stroop task because it contains three words in every puzzle, requiring an extra cognition step. This ensures that it only takes a short amount of time to tax brain function and obtain a meaningful score.

 

Double Trouble in the real world

Performance on Double Trouble may translate into activities such as the ability to block out background conversations when you’re trying to focus on something, or ignoring buzz words when viewing a television ad (“Fresh! Simple! Revolutionary!”), while focusing your attention on more important factors, like price and quality of the item being sold.


Speak to us about using Double Trouble in your practice or study