TestMyBrain Citizen Science

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

What is TestMyBrain?

TestMyBrain is a not-for-profit digital platform and laboratory dedicated to accessible, web-based cognitive research, citizen science, and public engagement in science. All tests collect data for real life research studies and scientific experiments to provide personalized feedback to you, the person who is taking part in the study. When you take a test on TestMyBrain, you are collaborating with us in scientific research to help us learn more about you and your brain.

Who runs TestMyBrain?

The people behind TestMyBrain are (1) members of the Laboratory for Brain and Cognitive Health Technology (BaCH Tech Lab) at McLean Hospital (a part of Mass General Brigham) and Harvard Medical School, (2) directors and employees at Many Brains (a Massachusetts-based 501c3 non-profit), and (3) collaborating members of the research community (see key partners). The overall initiative is led by TestMyBrain creator, Dr. Laura Germine, who is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and President of Many Brains.

Participating in TMB Digital Lab Research Studies

What's in it for me? Why should I participate in these research studies?

By participating in the research studies posted in the TMB Digital Lab, you can learn a bit about your personality, cognitive style, and aspects of your mental health. All of our studies are designed to provide personalized feedback that is specific to you. You can share this information with your friends and family. Volunteers and citizen scientists like you are vital to our research, and every time you take a test you are contributing to the advancement of science and our understanding of the brain. Your participation is very valuable! To see some of our latest research findings based on previous participants, check out our featured publications.

When can I see my results from a test?

TestMyBrain tests and surveys are part of research studies - each of the links posted in the TMB Digital Lab is one study. Each research study may include multiple tests and surveys. Your results are automatically displayed after you have completed all tests and surveys in a study.

What do my results mean?

For each test, we give you your individual scores as well as the scores of the average person who takes that test on our digital laboratory. We hope you will find these results interesting and informative. There are some limitations you should keep in mind as you look at your results though. Each of these experiments represents an area of active research -- until we have gathered many, many results from people like you, we can't conclude anything about what an individual's results mean. Furthermore, these kinds of results are only really meaningful at the “group level”. That is, they may reflect patterns that apply on average and not necessarily to any one person. For example, let's say we decided to do a study examining male or female gender and hair length. We might find that, on average, women have longer hair than men. However, having long hair doesn't make you female and being female doesn't give you long hair. In other words, women have longer hair on average, but this information doesn't allow us to make any conclusions about an individual’s hair.

If you are surprised by your results on any of these tests, you shouldn't be concerned. There are many reasons why scores on these tasks might differ. For instance, differences in computer systems or distractions while taking a test can affect results. These tests were not specifically designed to assess you, and scores can vary widely among the people who complete it.

Can I share my results with friends and family?

We encourage you to share any results you find interesting. Just keep in mind the following limitations of these experiments:

These tests are not meant to assess you, and should not be used to make any conclusions about your abilities.
Each research study is an area of active research and thus we do not yet fully understand what each result means.
There are many reasons why scores of any particular test might differ, including differences in computer systems, distractions while taking the test, or even what you had for lunch that day. Scores can vary widely among the people who complete each test.

What will my results be used for?

Your results (without any information about your identity) will be used to test scientific theories about the way the mind and brain work, as well as to develop new ways of evaluating cognition and cognitive health. We have already made many exciting discoveries and digital technology innovations based on data from people just like you who visit TestMyBrain. These and any discoveries we make later down the line will be posted in our Publications.

Who will have access to my results?

No one will be able to connect your results with you as an individual, unless you choose to share your results with someone. We take every precaution to make sure your information and your data are secure, and all of our tests, data collection methods, and data storage processes are reviewed by an appropriate Institutional Review Board (typically the Mass General Brigham IRB) prior to appearing on TestMyBrain. As for the results of these experiments, your identity-free data will be used by TestMyBrain researchers to learn more about the way the brain works. As an organization dedicated to open science, we also share data in public repositories and as part of public resources for members of the broader research community to use. These datasets contain cognitive test scores and the basic demographic information (e.g. age, gender, education level) that you provide us, with no additional information that could be used to connect you as an individual to your cognitive test scores.

Any discoveries or research findings that emerge from TestMyBrain research studies or the studies of collaborating researchers will be shared through our Publications when available. If you are 18 years of age or older and would like to be contacted about future research studies, please fill out our Future Research Studies Contact Form (this information will be stored separately from any test scores).

Research Studies vs. Tests

What is the difference between a test and a research study?

Each Go! button in the TMB Digital Lab takes you to a particular research study (data collection for a structured research experiment) being conducted by members of our TestMyBrain research team. Each research study includes one or more tests. For instance, a single study might include three tests: one personality test, one test of your verbal memory, and another test of your memory for pictures.

How do you decide what tests appear on this website?

Every test in the TMB Digital Lab is part of a research study that was designed by our team of researchers to learn more about cognition and the brain. Some of our tests are measures of very general abilities, such as processing speed and memory. Other tests are designed to help us look at more specific functions, like face memory, emotion processing, and different aspects of personality. We want to look at the way different cognitive functions relate to one another, the way they change as we get older, and how they might affect (or depend on!) our other personal characteristics. We also want to make sure that every test is fun, challenging, and educational, to make sure that users like you find the experience of participating in our research as rewarding as possible.

Why do I have to answer lots of questions about myself before I get my results?

One of the main things we are interested in is how different cognitive abilities and psychological features relate to things like age, sex, education, and other personal characteristics. The information you provide us about yourself helps us to understand (a little better) what factors make people unique and contribute to differences in health.

How long will each research study be available?

Research studies and tests are posted on the website for different amounts of time, so you may find that if you leave TestMyBrain and return the next day, the available studies may have changed. We cannot guarantee that any particular research study or test will continue to be available as part of our digital laboratory. If you are looking for accessible resources to test yourself or someone else (e.g. as part of your own research study or a class you are teaching), please contact us at info@testmybrain.org to get access to one of our toolkits that provide access to cognitive tests beyond our digital laboratory.

Can I retake a test?

You can redo a research study or test as many times as you like! Just make sure when you get to the end of the study that you respond "No" when it asks if it is your first time doing the test or study.

Support

Who do I contact if I need technical support?

If you are having problems with any of the tests or research studies, or need help interpreting your results, please contact us at info@testmybrain.org.

I'm a researcher and I want to run a research study through the TMB Digital Lab

Thanks for your interest in TestMyBrain! Please note that the TMB Digital Lab is an active digital laboratory and we are constantly adding, removing, and changing research studies and tests. Many research studies also include under-the-hood randomization and condition assignment algorithms that mean that two people clicking on the same link in the TMB Digital Lab may receive very different tests or experimental procedures. Because of the ever-changing nature of this site, external researchers should not use the TMB Digital Lab for research purposes. There are many ways we support external research studies who want to use TestMyBrain tests or tools. You can learn more by visiting Using TMB for Research. Email info@testmybrain.org for more info.

If you are interested in collaborating with our partner laboratory at McLean Hospital in running a research study through the TMB Citizen Science Digital Laboratory, please email the Laboratory for Brain & Cognitive Health Technology (BaCH Tech Lab) at bachtech@mclean.harvard.edu. Please note that all research studies featured in the TMB Digital Lab are structured collaborations with BaCH Tech Lab and any external collaborations are often in the context of funding applications to support a larger program of work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Participating in TMB Digital Lab Research Studies

Research Studies vs. Tests

Support