No Coding Required

Create Flanker Task Online

Build custom Eriksen Flanker tasks for attention and cognitive control research in minutes. Measure selective attention with millisecond-precise timing.

Start Building Free Try Demo

What is the Flanker Task?

The Flanker Task, developed by Barbara and Charles Eriksen in 1974, is a classic measure of selective attention and cognitive control. It is widely used in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and clinical research.

Participants respond to a central target stimulus while ignoring flanking distractors. The Flanker Effect emerges when distractors conflict with the target, causing slower and less accurate responses - revealing the cost of filtering irrelevant information.

Selective Attention
Cognitive Control
Response Inhibition
Executive Function

Flanker Stimuli Examples

>>>>>

Congruent (all right)

<<><<

Incongruent (center differs)

<<<<<

Congruent (all left)

Respond to the CENTER arrow only

Why Build Your Flanker Task with AssessKit?

No Coding Required

Visual builder for Flanker tasks. No E-Prime, MATLAB, or JavaScript needed.

Precise Timing

Millisecond-accurate stimulus presentation and response collection.

Flexible Stimuli

Use arrows, letters, or custom images. Full parameter customization.

Auto Scoring

Automatic Flanker Effect calculation, accuracy, and RT statistics.

Flanker Task Variants You Can Build

Arrow Flanker

The classic arrow version. Participants indicate the direction of the central arrow while ignoring flanking arrows.

>><>>

Letter Flanker

Uses letters (H/S or similar) as stimuli. Common in clinical and developmental research.

HHSHH

ANT Flanker

Part of the Attention Network Test. Combines Flanker with spatial cueing for comprehensive attention assessment.

Alerting + Orienting + Executive

Who Uses the Flanker Task?

Cognitive Researchers

Study attention, cognitive control, and conflict monitoring. Popular paradigm for fMRI and EEG research.

  • Conflict monitoring
  • ACC activation studies
  • Sequential effects

Clinical Applications

Assess attention deficits in ADHD, anxiety, depression, and neurological conditions.

  • ADHD assessment
  • Anxiety research
  • Cognitive aging

Developmental Research

Track the development of attention and cognitive control across childhood and adolescence.

  • Child-friendly versions
  • Developmental trajectories
  • School-age assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Flanker Task?

The Flanker Task (Eriksen & Eriksen, 1974) measures selective attention and cognitive control. Participants respond to a central target while ignoring flanking distractors. When flankers conflict with the target, response times slow - this is the Flanker Effect.

What is the difference between congruent and incongruent trials?

In congruent trials, flankers point the same direction as the target (e.g., >>>>> or <<<<<). In incongruent trials, flankers point opposite to the target (e.g., >><>> or <<><<). The difference in RT between conditions measures the Flanker Effect.

Can I use different stimuli besides arrows?

Yes. AssessKit supports arrows, letters (HHSHH, SSHSS), and custom images. You can create visual flanker tasks with any stimuli that require a left/right response.

What outcome measures does the Flanker task provide?

AssessKit automatically calculates: accuracy, mean RT, RT for congruent vs incongruent trials, Flanker Effect (incongruent - congruent RT), and error rates. Trial-level data is available for detailed analysis.

How is the Flanker task different from the Stroop task?

Both measure cognitive control, but through different mechanisms. The Stroop task creates conflict between word meaning and ink color, while the Flanker task creates spatial conflict between target and surrounding distractors.

Ready to Build Your Flanker Task?

Create custom Flanker tasks for your research or classroom. Free to start, no credit card required.

Get Started Free