Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT)
A measure of dual-task performance
The Stroop Color and Word Test is a neuropsychological test designed to measure the ability to inhibit cognitive interference during the “Stroop effect”1. The “Stroop effect” occurs when the processing of a specific stimulus feature impedes the simultaneous processing of a second stimulus attribute1.
The SCWT is primarily used to measure ability to inhibit cognitive interference, but it has also been used as a measure of attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and working memory (WM)1.
Test variations
The original Stroop test proposed by Stroop in 1935 is the most common and consists of subjects attempting to read 3 different tables as fast as possible1. Two of the tables contain the “congruous condition” where participants are required to read names of colorwords printed in black ink and name different color patches. In the third and final table, contains the color-word (CW) condition, where color-words are printed in a colored ink that is not black and differs from the text (for instance the word “red” is printed in green ink)1.
To succeed, the participants must perform a less automated task while inhibiting the interference arising from a more automated task1.