ConcentrationGames

Glossary

Inhibitory control

The ability to withhold a tempting but incorrect response.

Inhibitory control is what stops you from tapping the wrong Schulte cell when a nearby number “looks ready,” or from reacting on a no-go trial.

Stroop-style tasks and go/no-go tests are classic ways to measure it. In daily life it shows up as resisting the urge to check messages mid-task.

Practice will not eliminate distraction, but it can shorten the time between noticing an impulse and choosing not to follow it.

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