Brain GymWhat this measures

N-back test

Memory Match

Hold a moving run of positions in mind and say whether the current one repeats the position from N steps back. Trains working memory under a steady pace.

How to play Memory Match

Working memory

Say Match when the highlighted cell repeats the cell from N steps earlier.

  • One cell of a 3 by 3 grid lights up at a time.
  • Answer Match when it is the same cell as N steps back, otherwise No match.
  • The first few cells set up the run and are not scored.

Controls

  • M Match
  • N No match
  • ← / → No match / Match

What Memory Match measures

An n-back task. It asks you to keep a short list updated as new items arrive, discarding the oldest. D-prime separates real sensitivity to matches from a habit of pressing Match often.

Headline measure: D-prime

What does the score mean?

Your score describes how you did on this task, on this day, at this difficulty. It is not an IQ score, a percentile or a medical measure. The headline number here is d-prime. Scores compare you with your own earlier sets, never with other people. Read more on what the exercises measure.