Sustained Attention to Response Task¶
HED Task ID: hedtsk_sustained_attention_to_response
Also known as: SART
Speeded responses to frequent non-targets with withholding on rare targets; commission errors and RT variability index sustained attention lapses.
Description¶
The Sustained Attention to Response Task is a Go/No-Go variant specifically designed to measure sustained attention failures and mind-wandering. Participants respond (button press) to every digit presented (1–9) except for one designated target digit (typically “3”), to which they must withhold their response. Digits are presented at a fixed rate (e.g., every 1150 ms), and the high frequency of Go responses (89%) creates a monotonous, routinized response pattern that promotes attentional lapses. Errors of commission (responding to the No-Go target) serve as the primary index of attention failure. The SART has become the standard behavioral measure for studying mind-wandering, task-unrelated thought, and attentional lapses.
Inclusion test¶
Procedure |
Single digits (1–9) are presented one at a time; participants respond to every digit except a designated target (typically 3). The high go-probability induces a prepotent response tendency. |
Manipulation |
Target digit identity; fixed vs. random digit sequences; ISI; session duration. |
Measurement |
Commission errors (responses to the no-go target); omission errors; RT variability; thought-probe responses (mind wandering frequency). |
Variations¶
Variation |
Description |
Justification |
|---|---|---|
Standard SART (Fixed Sequence) |
Digits 1-9 repeated in a fixed order; No-Go to “3.” |
Canonical: respond to digits except 3; fixed pseudo-random sequence |
Random SART |
Digits presented in random order; eliminates predictability. |
Random digit order; removes sequential predictability |
SART with Thought Probes |
Intermittent probes asking “Were you on-task or mind-wandering?” |
Mind-wandering probes inserted; adds metacognitive reporting |
Perceptual SART |
Non-digit stimuli (shapes, colors) for populations where digit recognition varies. |
Perceptual variants (lines, shapes); different stimulus type |
Sustained Attention Task with Response Switching |
Alternating response keys to add task-switching demands. |
Response switches during task; adds rule-change demand |
SART with Multiple Targets |
Two or more target digits to vary no-go probability. |
Multiple no-go digits instead of one; different inhibition load |
Sustained Attention with Clock Task |
Mackworth Clock Test variant; watching a clock hand for occasional double jumps over extended periods. |
Clock face rather than digit sequence; different stimulus format |
Child-Adapted SART |
Pictorial stimuli (animals, objects) replacing digits for developmental populations. |
Modified timing and stimuli for children; adapted per §5.3 |
Cognitive processes¶
This task engages the following cognitive processes:
Key references¶
{‘authors’: ‘Robertson, I. H., Manly, T., Andrade, J., Baddeley, B. T., & Yiend, J.’, ‘year’: 1997, ‘title’: “`Oops!’: Performance correlates of everyday attentional failures in traumatic brain injured and normal subjects”, ‘venue’: ‘Neuropsychologia’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Neuropsychologia’, ‘volume’: ‘35’, ‘issue’: ‘6’, ‘pages’: ‘747-758’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/s0028-3932(97)00015-8’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: “Robertson, I. H., Manly, T., Andrade, J., Baddeley, B. T., & Yiend, J. (1997). ‘Oops!’: Performance correlates of everyday attentional failures in traumatic brain injured and normal subjects. Neuropsychologia, 35(6), 747–758.”, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/s0028-3932(97)00015-8’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: “Smallwood, J., Davies, J. B., Heim, D., Finnigan, F., Sudberry, M., O’Connor, R., & Obonsawin, M.”, ‘year’: 2004, ‘title’: ‘Subjective experience and the attentional lapse: Task engagement and disengagement during sustained attention’, ‘venue’: ‘Consciousness and Cognition’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Consciousness and Cognition’, ‘volume’: ‘13’, ‘issue’: ‘4’, ‘pages’: ‘657-690’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/j.concog.2004.06.003’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: “Smallwood, J., Davies, J. B., Heim, D., Finnigan, F., Sudberry, M., O’Connor, R., & Obonsawin, M. (2004). Subjective experience and the attentional lapse: Task engagement and disengagement during sustained attention. Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 657–690.”, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2004.06.003’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Manly, T.’, ‘year’: 1999, ‘title’: ‘The absent mind: further investigations of sustained attention to response’, ‘venue’: ‘Neuropsychologia’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Neuropsychologia’, ‘volume’: ‘37’, ‘issue’: ‘6’, ‘pages’: ‘661-670’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/s0028-3932(98)00127-4’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Manly, T., Robertson, I. H., Galloway, M., & Hawkins, K. (1999). The absent mind: Further investigations of sustained attention to response. Neuropsychologia, 37(6), 661–670.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/s0028-3932(98)00127-4’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Smallwood, J., & Schooler, J. W.’, ‘year’: 2006, ‘title’: ‘The restless mind.’, ‘venue’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘volume’: ‘132’, ‘issue’: ‘6’, ‘pages’: ‘946-958’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.946’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Smallwood, J., & Schooler, J. W. (2006). The restless mind. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 946–958.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.946’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
Recent references¶
{‘authors’: ‘Seli, P., Cheyne, J. A., & Smilek, D.’, ‘year’: 2013, ‘title’: ‘Wandering minds and wavering rhythms: Linking mind wandering and behavioral variability.’, ‘venue’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance’, ‘volume’: ‘39’, ‘issue’: ‘1’, ‘pages’: ‘1-5’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/a0030954’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Seli, P., Cheyne, J. A., & Smilek, D. (2013). Wandering minds and wavering rhythms: Linking mind wandering and behavioral variability. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 39(1), 1–5.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030954’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Head, J., & Helton, W. S.’, ‘year’: 2014, ‘title’: ‘Sustained attention failures are primarily due to sustained cognitive load not task monotony’, ‘venue’: ‘Acta Psychologica’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Acta Psychologica’, ‘volume’: ‘153’, ‘issue’: None, ‘pages’: ‘87-94’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.09.007’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Head, J., & Helton, W. S. (2014). Sustained attention failures are primarily due to sustained cognitive load not task monotony. Acta Psychologica, 153, 87–94.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.09.007’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Dockree, P. M., Kelly, S. P., Foxe, J. J., Reilly, R. B., & Robertson, I. H.’, ‘year’: 2007, ‘title’: ‘Optimal sustained attention is linked to the spectral content of background EEG activity: greater ongoing tonic alpha (∼10\u2003Hz) power supports successful phasic goal activation’, ‘venue’: ‘European Journal of Neuroscience’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘European Journal of Neuroscience’, ‘volume’: ‘25’, ‘issue’: ‘3’, ‘pages’: ‘900-907’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05324.x’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Dockree, P. M., Kelly, S. P., Foxe, J. J., Reilly, R. B., & Robertson, I. H. (2007). Optimal sustained attention is linked to the spectral content of background EEG activity: Greater ongoing tonic alpha (~10 Hz) power supports successful phasic goal activation. European Journal of Neuroscience, 25(3), 900–907.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05324.x’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘McVay, J. C., & Kane, M. J.’, ‘year’: 2009, ‘title’: ‘Conducting the train of thought: Working memory capacity, goal neglect, and mind wandering in an executive-control task.’, ‘venue’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition’, ‘volume’: ‘35’, ‘issue’: ‘1’, ‘pages’: ‘196-204’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/a0014104’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘McVay, J. C., & Kane, M. J. (2009). Conducting the train of thought: Working memory capacity, goal neglect, and mind wandering in an executive-control task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 35(1), 196–204.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014104’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Seli, P., Risko, E. F., Smilek, D., & Schacter, D. L.’, ‘year’: 2016, ‘title’: ‘Mind-Wandering With and Without Intention’, ‘venue’: ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’, ‘volume’: ‘20’, ‘issue’: ‘8’, ‘pages’: ‘605-617’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/j.tics.2016.05.010’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Seli, P., Risko, E. F., Smilek, D., & Schacter, D. L. (2016). Mind-wandering with and without intention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20(8), 605–617.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2016.05.010’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Fortenbaugh, F. C., DeGutis, J., & Esterman, M.’, ‘year’: 2017, ‘title’: ‘Recent theoretical, neural, and clinical advances in sustained attention research’, ‘venue’: ‘Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences’, ‘volume’: ‘1396’, ‘issue’: ‘1’, ‘pages’: ‘70-91’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1111/nyas.13318’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Fortenbaugh, F. C., DeGutis, J., & Esterman, M. (2017). Recent theoretical, neural, and clinical advances in sustained attention research. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1396(1), 70–91.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13318’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}