N-Back Test
A square lights up in a 3×3 grid, one at a time. For each, answer: is it in the same place as N steps back? N rises from 1 to 3 as you improve.
What the n-back is
The n-back was introduced by Wayne Kirchner in 1958 to study short-term memory for rapidly changing information (Kirchner, 1958). It asks you to keep updating what you hold in mind: each new square pushes the oldest out. It's widely used in research on working memory.
Brainbay's N-Back is the single version: positions only. The "dual" version adds a stream of sounds at the same time.
Does n-back training make you smarter?
Probably not in general. A 2008 study reported that dual n-back training improved fluid intelligence, which caused a lot of excitement, but later studies and meta-analyses found that people get better at the trained task, with little reliable transfer to other abilities (Melby-Lervåg & Hulme, 2013; Simons et al., 2016). Play it because it's a satisfying challenge for your focus, and enjoy getting better at it.
Tips
- Say the positions to yourself ("top left, middle, top left…").
- At 2-back, keep a moving pair in mind and drop the oldest each time.
- About three in ten squares are matches, so "No match" is the usual answer.
How to play
- Squares light up one at a time.
- For each one: is it in the same place as the one N steps back?
- N starts at 1 and grows as you get better.
Scoring and levels
You have 60 seconds. Every right answer scores, and answers in a row score more. Two right in a row step you up a level; a wrong one steps you down, so it stays a stretch without getting stuck. Every game shows a short demo before you start, and your last ten scores are on the result screen.
In everyday life
Updating what you hold in mind is how you follow a conversation, keep a running total while shopping, or track who has had a turn in a game. The n-back strips that skill down to its simplest form.
Questions
What is the difference between n-back and dual n-back?
Dual n-back tracks two streams at once (usually positions and sounds). Brainbay's N-Back tracks positions.
What level should I start at?
1-back. The game moves you up to 2-back and 3-back as you get them right.
Can n-back raise my IQ?
The evidence says practice makes you better at the n-back itself; broader effects on intelligence have not held up well in later studies.
Related
Brain tests
Brain games by topic
Guides
Sources
- Kirchner, W. K. (1958). Age differences in short-term retention of rapidly changing information. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 55(4), 352–358.
- Melby-Lervåg, M. & Hulme, C. (2013). Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Psychology, 49(2). doi.org/10.1037/a0028228
- Simons, D. J. et al. (2016). Do "brain-training" programs work? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(3). doi.org/10.1177/1529100616661983
Brainbay is for practice and fun. Your scores show how you do at these games; they don't measure IQ or diagnose anything.