About the Vigilance / Focus Test

The continuous performance test (CPT) is one of the most widely-used paradigms in cognitive neuroscience. It measures your ability to sustain attention over time — hitting targets while ignoring irrelevant stimuli — and is used in ADHD research, fatigue studies, and cognitive neuroscience.

What the Scores Mean

• Hits: Correct responses to target — measures detection
• Misses: Failing to respond to target — attention lapse
• False Alarms: Responding to non-target — impulse control
• d' (d-prime): Signal detection sensitivity (high = great focus)

Improving Your Focus

• 7-9 hours of quality sleep dramatically improves vigilance performance
• Meditation and mindfulness practice reduces false alarm rate
• Caffeine (100-200mg) can boost hit rate and reduce reaction time by up to 15%