# Executive Functioning thinking test - T>F?



## swbluto (May 19, 2011)

There's an interesting executive functioning and verbal memory test at Brain Fitness Quiz - Brain Fitness Centers of Florida - Improve the quality and quantity of information your brain absorbs.. I think that those with a higher Thinking function would have higher executive functioning, so "T"'s would score higher than "F"'s on average, methinks.

I'm an INTP and my scores are:

Verbal memory: 83rd percentile
Executive Functioning: 47th percentile


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## The Exception (Oct 26, 2010)

Verbal memory: 86th percentile
Executive functioning: 68th percentile


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## SweetCat (Mar 13, 2011)

Verbal memory: 93th percentile
Executive functioning: 45th percentile 

But then I didn't sleep all night and brain is not working. I am most probably an INFP, btw.


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## SweetCat (Mar 13, 2011)

And when you retake the test a few times, the score for the verbal memory test goes down considerably as you start to mix up the words between the retakes..


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## counterintuitive (Apr 8, 2011)

I did well on verbal memory but really, really badly on executive functioning. Apparently I might have a neurological problem and should consult with a physician. The funny thing is that the shifting attention test is supposed to measure multitasking ability! I constantly multitask in everything I do, in fact I can't remember a time when I only unitasked. I think I have a lot of parallel processors in my head. Edit: that might actually be the problem, I keep thinking of other things during the test. Great.


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## shlaraki (Apr 19, 2011)

ISTP.

Verbal memory: 94th percentile
Executive Functioning: 42th percentile 

I'm going to retake the test tomorrow and see what I get.


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## swbluto (May 19, 2011)

I took the test again today.

Verbal memory: 89th percentile
Executive functioning: 53rd percentile.

It's interesting that the scores seem fairly stable.


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## Angelic Gardevoir (Oct 7, 2010)

swbluto said:


> It's interesting that the scores seem fairly stable.


 They weren't with me, at least for executive functioning. The first time I got a very low score (from what I remember). By the third time, I was up to average. I think I may have been going too fast the first two times, though. Or maybe it was because I was sleepy. *shrugs*


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## counterintuitive (Apr 8, 2011)

Verbal memory: 93rd percentile
I got 77th the first time I think. This time I made associations between each word and the next one, which helped a whole lot.

Executive functioning: 27th percentile (which is actually better than the first time lol)
I think I'm actually going too slow! It marks on both speed and accuracy, I think my accuracy is not bad but in order to do it well I have to go slowly. WHY AM I SO FAIL?!!???!!!

----

I'm going to take it again right now (which will probably screw with my verbal memory score, since I'll remember words from the first run)

Verbal memory: 73rd percentile (yep, I kept confusing which ones were from before)
Executive functioning: 2nd percentile. Yes, 2nd. :crying: I tried to go fast.

Ok seriously, how are you people scoring so high on executive functioning?! It's telling me I might have ADD/ADHD. But I can usually concentrate when I have to (testing/exams), or when I want to (when something is interesting). I am no more ADD than the average ExxP, I swear! I just suck at this. Does it mean that I'm stupid? Do I have a brain problem, like a hazardous one?


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## shlaraki (Apr 19, 2011)

Wilson said:


> Verbal memory: 93rd percentile
> I got 77th the first time I think. This time I made associations between each word and the next one, which helped a whole lot.
> 
> Executive functioning: 27th percentile (which is actually better than the first time lol)
> ...


I don't think you're stupid, you're just special XP

But seriously, I wouldn't think too much of it. You have a 50% chance of getting right and there's two different colours and two different shapes so it can get pretty confusing. I think if you want to score higher, you should practice a bit or get your brain into a different mindset. Maybe it's impossible for you to score higher than 27 because you can't think fast enough and apply it to the arrows. 

Are you by any chance good at video games? I'm not really, which is partially why I assume I got the score I got. (If I get less than 50 on anything, I'm very disappointed in myself xD)

I have good reflexes in real life, like for sports and the like, but in video games I get really stressed out because if you think about what you have to do, it seems so simple. Sometimes I just freeze up, even though I know the answer but can't seem to press the right key. Actually performing the actions is quite difficult. For me, it's just impossible to function and do what I want to because of all of the thoughts going through my head as I play. 

Plus this is just a test. Some people are good at A tests and some people are good at B tests. (Then there are people who are good A and B, but we don't like those guys...)


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## counterintuitive (Apr 8, 2011)

shlaraki said:


> I don't think you're stupid, you're just special XP
> 
> But seriously, I wouldn't think too much of it. You have a 50% chance of getting right and there's two different colours and two different shapes so it can get pretty confusing. I think if you want to score higher, you should practice a bit or get your brain into a different mindset. Maybe it's impossible for you to score higher than 27 because you can't think fast enough and apply it to the arrows.


Yeah it's definitely confusing. I'm going to practice more, but the thing is that I haven't improved yet. So maybe it's not one of those things I can get better at. I'm going to find other executive function tests just to check.



> Are you by any chance good at video games? I'm not really, which is partially why I assume I got the score I got. (If I get less than 50 on anything, I'm very disappointed in myself xD)
> 
> I have good reflexes in real life, like for sports and the like, but in video games I get really stressed out because if you think about what you have to do, it seems so simple. Sometimes I just freeze up, even though I know the answer but can't seem to press the right key. Actually performing the actions is quite difficult. For me, it's just impossible to function and do what I want to because of all of the thoughts going through my head as I play.


Same here, I don't like getting below 50. Below average? Ugh. lol.

I'm good at tetris, but I suck at a lot of other games. I get really stressed out as well. I freeze up too. I get so tense I can't press the key. The test in this thread has started to give me the same anxiety now too.



> Plus this is just a test. Some people are good at A tests and some people are good at B tests. (Then there are people who are good A and B, but we don't like those guys...)


You're right, it's just a test, but maybe I do have executive dysfunction. I'm reading wikipedia and making myself paranoid as we speak. It says that executive functions are responsible for situations like:


*Those that involve planning or decision making* -- I'm not particularly good at these
*Those that involve error correction or troubleshooting* -- I am good at this, mostly
*Situations where responses are not well-rehearsed or contain novel sequences of actions* -- I can do well in new situations. Repeat situations do not give me an advantage because I don't perform better just from doing the same thing over and over again.
*Dangerous or technically difficult situations* -- don't know
*Situations that require the overcoming of a strong habitual response or resisting temptation.* -- I don't have too many habits, and I don't routinize easily, so it's pretty easy for me to go against what I am used to.

Seems to me that I'm fine on some counts, and I suck at others.


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## swbluto (May 19, 2011)

Angelic Gardevoir said:


> They weren't with me, at least for executive functioning. The first time I got a very low score (from what I remember). By the third time, I was up to average. I think I may have been going too fast the first two times, though. Or maybe it was because I was sleepy. *shrugs*


That's what we call practice. If you give your brain time to forget the "practice" (Like, say, a day), your results should be more consistent. They might not be, though, and the stability in my scores might've just been a fluke.


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## shlaraki (Apr 19, 2011)

Wilson said:


> You're right, it's just a test, but maybe I do have executive dysfunction. I'm reading wikipedia and making myself paranoid as we speak. It says that executive functions are responsible for situations like:
> 
> 
> *Those that involve planning or decision making* -- I'm not particularly good at these
> ...


Meh, I don't particularily believe in those types of diagnosis that use words like dysfunction or anything that has a negative connotation. Especially since you admit yourself that you're making yourself paranoid by reading the wiki article. I think those types of things are merely a state of mind. 

You could probably look at any medical diagnosis, and find characteristics of each and every one of them that you happen to share. That's part of what I don't like about that sort of thing, the symptoms could be applicable to everyone to some degree. Sort of like how I'm an ISTP, but I also have E, N, F and J qualities. And my Fe and Fi are still there, even though they aren't as strong as my other cognitive functions. 

Before taking this test, was your life at a serious disadvantage because you weren't able to match the colour of two shapes faster than another person? Mine certainly wasn't, and what I've learnt from this test was that I can't be good at everything and my video game reflexes suck. Even for simple matching.

Try taking the test again in a year and see if anything changes. 

Even if your results remain the same, don't worry, be happy


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## counterintuitive (Apr 8, 2011)

shlaraki said:


> Meh, I don't particularily believe in those types of diagnosis that use words like dysfunction or anything that has a negative connotation. Especially since you admit yourself that you're making yourself paranoid by reading the wiki article. I think those types of things are merely a state of mind.


Well, if there is a way to train myself and improve, I would like to try.

What I'm taking away from it for now, is that I don't apply enough conscious judgment (decision making). This may be an effect of having Pe>Ji, but I can try to counteract it. I definitely do not make enough decisions though, I know that.



> You could probably look at any medical diagnosis, and find characteristics of each and every one of them that you happen to share. That's part of what I don't like about that sort of thing, the symptoms could be applicable to everyone to some degree. Sort of like how I'm an ISTP, but I also have E, N, F and J qualities. And my Fe and Fi are still there, even though they aren't as strong as my other cognitive functions.


I agree about that. It's the risk of self-diagnosing. My goal is to see if there is a way to improve brain function, though.



> Before taking this test, was your life at a serious disadvantage because you weren't able to match the colour of two shapes faster than another person? Mine certainly wasn't, and what I've learnt from this test was that I can't be good at everything and my video game reflexes suck. Even for simple matching.
> 
> Try taking the test again in a year and see if anything changes.
> 
> Even if your results remain the same, don't worry, be happy


I probably sounded more anxious than I am, lol. I came a similar conclusion: nothing about me has actually changed as a result of this test, and I should have no problem accomplishing the kinds of things I've already done (plus more).


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## erasinglines (Sep 1, 2010)

Wilson said:


> Ok seriously, how are you people scoring so high on executive functioning?! It's telling me I might have ADD/ADHD. But I can usually concentrate when I have to (testing/exams), or when I want to (when something is interesting). I am no more ADD than the average ExxP, I swear! I just suck at this. Does it mean that I'm stupid? Do I have a brain problem, like a hazardous one?


Well, it could be, it could not be. It's a test made of numbers and not exactly circumstances. While the numbers have been adjusted to generalize to a larger population, the complexity of the individual situation is lost. I know in my case, I end up staring at the blaringly red and blue shapes in awe unable to think of anything other than experiencing the intensity of the colours. This would also suggest that I have some sort of issue with attention; however, I suspect this is not the case since I have synesthesia where colours are simply cognitively crossed in my head. There are other things that affect cognition, and it's still hard for us to know of them all.

Btw, Verbal Memory: 61 percentile
Executive Functioning: 2 percentile


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## personalityjunki (Jan 25, 2011)

Verbal memory: 97th percentile
Executive Functioning: 77th percentile


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## SweetCat (Mar 13, 2011)

And now I retook the test (I guess I'm bored) two days after:

Verbal memory: 37th percentile (down from 93rd first time)

Executive functions: 79th percentile (up from 45th first time)

Not very consistent results exactly, I wouldn't draw any sort of conclusions from this test. Or maybe it's just me.


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## ItsAlwaysSunny (Dec 17, 2010)

Verbal Memory: 96th percentile
Executive Functioning: 21st percentile

so what does that mean exactly? it says that i might have a cognitive problem.


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## TheOwl (Nov 3, 2010)

Verbal Memory: 27th percentile
Executive Functioning: 23rd percentile

What does it mean "cognitive problems"? Am I stupid?


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## Elijah Burkhardt (May 19, 2011)

85th percentile verbal memory. 91st percentile Executive Function.

Had a bit of a problem responding to false-positives on the delayed memory test.


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## Elijah Burkhardt (May 19, 2011)

Based on what I know about neurological assessments, I would like to suggest this:
These tests are fairly simple, and therefore they will have very "low ceilings". This means: Since such a large amount of people, the average, cluster towards the top possible scores, one need only score a few points below the average to be shot down to what appears to be a very low percentile. example: if on a test where the maximum score is 10, if 100 people take the test and 99 people score 10, and one person scores 9, then that one person will technically be in the bottom 1st percentile. Something to consider.. 

also: there doesn't seem to be any information on the site regarding the sample pool. meaning: most "iq tests" have CAREFULLY selected sample pools to ensure that your percentiles are reflective of a microcosm of contemporary U.S society. The assessment in question on this forum most likely is skewed towards more intelligent individuals. IE: a bunch of college students who were maybe at the same campus as was this research that was being conducted.


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