Flanker Game

Welcome to the classic version of the Flanker Game, a task grounded in decades of cognitive psychology research. Inspired by Eriksen and Eriksen’s seminal work in the 1970s, this game challenges you to focus on a central target letter (H, K, S, or C) while ignoring distracting flanker letters. Your objective is straightforward: identify the central letter as quickly and accurately as possible by pressing the corresponding key, even when the surrounding letters try to mislead you.

• Look at the display and focus on the central target letter, ignoring any flanking distractors
• When the target letter is an H or K, press the right arrow key; when it is an S or C, press the left arrow key
• Press the key that matches the central letter as soon as you recognize it
• Aim to respond both rapidly and correctly—speed and accuracy are essential for a high score
• This task is a staple in cognitive research, used to assess selective attention, inhibitory control, and processing speed