Information Sampling Task
Welcome to the Information Sampling Task!
This experiment explores how people make decisions when they can gather information before choosing. You'll see a grid of colored cards and need to decide which color is in the majority.
You can reveal as many cards as you want before making your final decision. The experiment includes two conditions: Fixed Win (constant reward) and Decreasing Win (reward decreases with each card opened).
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Scientific Background
Decision Making Under Uncertainty
This task examines how people balance the cost of gathering information against the benefit of making more informed decisions. It reveals individual differences in risk tolerance and information-seeking behavior.
Cognitive Strategies
Participants develop different strategies: some gather minimal information and rely on quick decisions, while others extensively sample before choosing. These patterns reflect underlying cognitive and personality traits.
Experimental Conditions
Fixed Win Condition
In this condition, you gain 100 points for correct decisions and lose 100 points for incorrect ones, regardless of how many cards you open. This tests your decision-making when information gathering has no direct cost.
Decreasing Win Condition
You start with 250 points, but each card you open costs 10 points. Correct decisions give you the remaining points, while incorrect decisions lose 100 points. This creates a trade-off between information and reward.
Applications and Research
Clinical Psychology
Used to study decision-making patterns in anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
Behavioral Economics
Helps understand how people make financial decisions and evaluate risk-reward trade-offs.
AI & Machine Learning
Informs algorithms for optimal stopping problems and active learning systems.
References
- Clark, L., Robbins, T. W., Ersche, K. D., & Sahakian, B. J. (2006). Reflection impulsivity in current and former substance users. Biological Psychiatry, 60(5), 515-522. 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.11.007
- Sochat, V. V., Eisenberg, I. W., Enkavi, A. Z., Li, J., Bissett, P. G., & Poldrack, R. A. (2016). The Experiment Factory: Standardizing behavioral experiments. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 610. 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00610
- Clark, L., Roiser, J. P., Robbins, T. W., & Sahakian, B. J. (2009). Disrupted 'reflection' impulsivity in cannabis users but not current or former ecstasy users. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 23(1), 14-22. 10.1177/0269881108089587
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Frequently Asked Questions
Have another question? Let us know.
What does the IST measure?
Reflection impulsivity — how much information you gather before committing to a decision, in the tradition of Kagan's reflection-impulsivity construct and the CANTAB Information Sampling Task.
What do the key metrics mean?
The number of boxes opened before deciding indexes information gathering; errors occur when you commit before the evidence is sufficient.
Is opening fewer boxes always impulsive?
Not inherently — when information is costly, decisive responding is adaptive. The task assumes cheap sampling, so interpret scores in context.
Where is this used?
Research on decision making in substance use, binge eating, and neurodevelopmental conditions uses the IST as one index of decision style.
About This Experiment
This experiment is an educational adaptation for demonstration purposes. It is not a clinical diagnostic tool. Results reflect your performance in this specific session and should not be interpreted as an assessment of your cognitive abilities.
Data Privacy
Your experiment data is processed and stored locally in your browser. No data is uploaded to any server unless you explicitly export it.
