🎯 Opposite Arrow Test

What is it?

The Opposite Arrow Test is a rapid-fire cognitive control task. It measures how quickly your brain can override an automatic response and switch to the correct one instead. In simple terms: it tests how fast you can make the right decision when your instincts try to push you toward the wrong one.

How does it work?

An arrow appears on screen pointing in a direction. Your job is to press the opposite arrow key.
Right means left. Up means down. Fast, simple, and surprisingly difficult when the pressure ramps up.
The game records both accuracy and reaction time across 20 rounds.

Why use it?

This test is a neat window into cognitive skills that matter in real-world decision-making:

• Attention switching

• Impulse control

• Visual processing speed

• Mental agility when rules change

In advertising, these are the same moments where brand messages win or lose attention. The faster your brain can shift, the more likely it is to register, process and act on something unexpected — like a disruptive ad, a new creative angle, or an innovative format.

Assumptions

• A faster reaction time suggests quicker cognitive switching, not overall intelligence.

• Results depend on context: tiredness, mood, devices, distractions.

• This is not a clinical test — it’s a fun, indicative benchmark.

Brain Gym at One Day Agency

Advertising is all about commanding attention in moments where people are on autopilot.
This test mirrors what happens when someone sees a thumb-stopping ad in their feed: their brain has to break its default scroll behaviour and respond to something new.
At One Day, we build campaigns designed to trigger that break in pattern, and this game playfully reinforces how powerful those small cognitive switches can be.

Want to test more your attention span? Try our Colors Stroop Test as well!

Need an attention grabbing campaign?

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to speak with our experts about how to craft the best attention grabbing campaign.