======Stroop Effect ======


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**Alternative titles:** Color-Word Interference Test
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Prepare a list of color words (e.g., RED, BLUE, GREEN) printed in mismatched ink colors (e.g., the word "RED" printed in blue ink).  
  - Ask participants to say the color of the ink aloud as quickly as possible, without reading the word.  
  - Time how long it takes participants to complete the list.  
  - Compare results with a control test, where color words are printed in matching ink colors.  
  - Optionally, test with very young children who know their colors but cannot yet read to see if they experience less interference.



====Links==== 
The Stroop Effect | Psychology Science Experiment - Science Buddies: 
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The Stroop Effect Experiment | Easy Activity for Kids! - Boundless Brilliance: 
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📄 Colors, Colors - Neuroscience for Kids: [[https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/words.html]]\\

====Variations====
  * Rotate or flip the words upside down.  
  * Replace color words with unrelated words (e.g., "dog," "house") or nonsense words.  
  * Use emotional words such as "happy" or "sad."  
  * Test with long vs. short words.  
  * Color only part of each word (e.g., first and last letters).  
  * Try the Directional Stroop (identifying word location), Number Stroop (counting words), Animal Stroop (naming animals), or Shape Stroop (identifying shapes vs. words).



====Safety Precautions====
  * None required.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why is it harder to say the color than to read the word? (Reading is an automatic process that interferes with slower color naming.)  
  * Which theory better explains the Stroop Effect: Speed of Processing or Selective Attention?  
  * Would young children who cannot read yet experience the Stroop Effect? (Likely not, because the words carry no meaning for them.)  
  * What does the Stroop Effect reveal about how the brain processes competing information? (It shows how automatic processes, like reading, can interfere with controlled tasks requiring more attention.)