Mind

Why you stumble naming the ink of a clashing colour word: the Stroop effect

Four colour words printed in clashing ink, such as the word Blue in red, beside the title Name the ink, not the word
30seconds
The 30-second version

Name the ink colour of the word GREEN printed in red and you stumble, even though the rule is trivial. In 1935 John Ridley Stroop timed it: naming the ink of clashing colour words took about 74% longer than naming plain colour patches.

Play two quick rounds and measure your own gap, then see why reading is such a strong habit that it barges in uninvited, and why the clash only works in one direction.

Deep dive · 3 min
Deep dive · 3 min

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