
Behavioral Research Tasks
Tasks are standardized experimental paradigms used in behavioral and cognitive research to measure attention, memory, executive function, decision-making, perception, learning, and social-emotional processes. Labvanced offers a robust library of ready-to-run task templates, allowing researchers to launch studies faster while maintaining high experimental control, precision, and reproducibility.
Featured Tasks
Here are a few popular tasks frequently used by researchers across domains:
Trail Making Test
In Part A, the participant connects numbers in ascending order (1-2-3...) while in Part B, numbers and letters alternate (1-A-2-B...), in this classic task for measuring cognitive flexibility.
Dot Probe Task
In this task, participants see pairs of images followed by a small dot and must respond as quickly as possible to the dot’s location via key press (desktop) or button press (mobile).
Dual Lexical Decision Task
This study investigates word recognition and decision-making in language processing. Participants will view pairs of letter strings and decide whether they are real words or non-words. The task measures accuracy and reaction times in lexical processing.
Simon Task
This study measures cognitive control and stimulus-response compatibility using the Simon Task. Participants respond to stimulus color while ignoring spatial position, allowing measurement of the Simon effect through reaction time and accuracy.
Flanker Task
This study measures selective attention and inhibitory control using the Flanker Task. Participants respond to the direction of a central arrow while ignoring surrounding distractors. Reaction time and accuracy are recorded as performance indicators.
Stroop Test
Participants view color words presented in congruent or incongruent font colors and must respond based on the text color rather than the word meaning.
Ultimatum Game
In this interactive 2-player game, one player proposes a split of money and the other decides to accept or reject.
Bouba-Kiki Task
In this experiment, two shapes are presented and a word. The participant must select one of the two shapes as being the best match to the presented word.
Visual Search Task
This study measures attentional selection and search efficiency using a conjunction visual search paradigm. Participants decide whether a predefined target is present or absent among distractors, while reaction time and accuracy are recorded.
Mental 2D Rotation - Letters
This study investigates mental rotation ability using 2D letters presented in normal and mirror-reversed forms at various rotation angles. Participants judge the orientation of each letter as quickly and accurately as possible. A practice phase requiring 90% accuracy precedes the main task.
Mental Rotation Task (3D Body Rotation)
This study investigates how people mentally rotate images of human bodies. Participants view figures from different angles and decide if a raised limb is right limb or left limb.
N-Back (2-back) Task
This task examines working memory capacity using the 2-back task. Participants complete a series of trials where they must indicate if the current stimulus matches the one presented two steps earlier. Training trials and immediate feedback are provided to support learning and engagement.
Preferential Looking Paradigm
Participants view side-by-side of either images or videos, while gaze patterns, fixation durations and head orientation are recorded, as well as a video recording of the participant.
Corsi Block Tapping Test
Blocks flash sequentially on screen. Participants must repeat the sequence by clicking the blocks in the exact order shown.
Digit Span Task
This study measures verbal working memory using the Digit Span Task. Participants recall digit sequences of increasing length in the same order they were shown or in reverse order. Accuracy, reaction time, and the longest span successfully recalled are captured as performance indicators.
Tower of London Test
This study measures planning and executive function using the Tower of London Test. Participants rearrange colored balls across three pegs to match a target configuration in as few moves as possible. Initial thinking time, movement execution time, and accuracy against the optimal solution are captured as performance indicators.
Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART)
Participants pump a virtual balloon to accumulate earnings with each pump, balancing potential reward against the risk of the balloon popping and losing all gains for that trial.
Delay Discounting Task (DDT)
Participants choose between a smaller reward available now and a larger reward available later, across a range of delay intervals and discount rates, measuring impulsivity and time preference.
Implicit Association Test (IAT)
This study measures implicit attitudes using the Implicit Association Test. Participants sort words into paired categories using speeded key presses, and reaction-time differences between compatible and incompatible category pairings reveal the strength of automatic associations.
Stock Market Game
This study measures economic decision-making under price uncertainty using the Stock Market Game. Participants buy and sell shares across multiple funds as prices fluctuate each round, aiming to maximize portfolio value. A real-time 2-player version adds strategic information sharing between an insider investor and a second participant.
Beads Task
This study measures probabilistic reasoning and the jumping-to-conclusions bias using the Beads Task. Participants decide which of two jars a sequence of beads is being drawn from, requesting as many or as few beads as they need before choosing. Draws to decision, jar choice, and confidence are recorded as outcome measures.
Information Sampling Task (IST)
This study measures reflection impulsivity using the Information Sampling Task. Participants open boxes from a grid to gather evidence before deciding which of two colors is in the majority, across a fixed-reward and a decreasing-reward condition. Boxes opened, decision accuracy, and points are recorded as performance indicators.
Posner Cueing Task
This study measures spatial attention and attentional orienting using the Posner Cueing Task. Participants respond to the location of a target while a preceding cue indicates its location validly, invalidly, or not at all. Reaction time and accuracy are recorded as performance indicators.
Celebrity Endorsement Toy Preference Task
In this task, children are randomly assigned to a control or celebrity-endorsement group, then choose between two toys while webcam eye tracking records their gaze. Choice, reaction time, and fixation measures are recorded as outcome indicators.
Face Perception Task
Participants view happy, neutral, and sad faces while webcam eye tracking records dwell time and fixations on the eyes and mouth, then identify the emotion each face showed.
Self-Paced Reading Task
Participants read ten sentences at their own pace while webcam eye tracking records dwell time, fixations, and time to first fixation on every word.
With Labvanced, you can quickly customize any task, deploy it online or in-lab, and collect high-quality behavioral data from participants worldwide. Our pre-made templates support a wide range of fields, including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics, linguistics, and human-computer interaction.
Why Use Labvanced Behavioral Task Templates?
Accelerate study setup with pre-built templates grounded in established research paradigms
Ensure data quality through millisecond-accurate timing and controlled stimulus presentation
Customize freely using the editor
Seamlessly recruit participants and manage data collection
Enhance reproducibility with standardized procedures and documentation
Each task page includes:
A conceptual overview
Core cognitive processes and data measured
Importable templates
Customization guidance
Start Building Your Study
Every task in the Labvanced template catalog is designed to help you run high-quality, scalable behavioral research without coding expertise.
Getting Started Guide
Learn the essentials of building code-free studies with step-by-step guidance.
Sample Studies Page
Explore ready-made templates created by Labvanced that you can preview, duplicate, and customize.
Public Experiment Library
600+ open experiments shared by researchers around the world.