Memory and Learning Games Flashcards

In the Pymetrics Digits Game, a candidate is repeatedly shown a sequence of numbers and asked to recall them in the correct order. The sequence length increases with each correct answer. Which cognitive ability is primarily being assessed?

Answer: Working memory

The Digits Game specifically targets working memory, which is the cognitive system responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information. The task requires you to hold the sequence of digits in your mind just long enough to reproduce it.

A candidate playing the Pymetrics Cards Game notices that one of the four decks consistently provides small, positive returns, while another offers large gains but also devastating losses. To demonstrate strong learning and pattern recognition, what would be the most effective strategy?

Answer: Initially sample all decks, then primarily draw from the decks identified as having a positive expected value, adjusting as patterns evolve.

The Cards Game assesses learning, pattern recognition, and decision-making. An effective strategy involves exploring the decks to identify their underlying patterns and then exploiting the ones that offer the best net gain, while remaining adaptable in case the patterns shift.

During the Pymetrics Arrows Game, a candidate must indicate the direction of a central arrow while ignoring flanking arrows. The rules for which direction to indicate change based on the color of the arrows. This game is designed to measure a candidate's:

Answer: Ability to learn and adapt to changing rules

The Arrows Game assesses cognitive flexibility and the ability to learn and apply new rules quickly. The core challenge is to suppress one response (following the central arrow) and apply a different one (following the side arrows) based on a conditional cue (color), which directly tests adaptability.

Which of the following Pymetrics games is LEAST focused on assessing memory or learning through pattern recognition?

Answer: Keypress Game

The Keypress Game is primarily designed to measure processing speed, attention, and focus by requiring the candidate to press a key as quickly as possible. While the Digits Game measures memory, and the Cards and Arrows games measure learning and adaptation, the Keypress game is a simpler measure of reaction time.

A candidate is playing the Money Exchange Game #1. They are given $10 and choose to send $5 to a partner, which is tripled to $15. The partner sends back $7. The candidate then rates the transaction as highly fair. What trait profile is this behavior most likely to indicate to the Pymetrics algorithm?

Answer: High trust and a strong sense of fairness

The Money Exchange Game #1 assesses trust and fairness. Sending a significant portion of the initial amount ($5 out of $10) demonstrates trust and a willingness to take a risk on the partner. Receiving a return that results in an equal split of the profit ($7 back means the player has $12 and the partner has $8) and rating it as fair indicates a cooperative and fair-minded approach.

In the context of Pymetrics assessments, 'learning' is often measured by observing a candidate's ability to:

Answer: Identify and adapt to underlying patterns or changing rules within a game.

Pymetrics games like the Cards Game and the Balloons Game assess learning by tracking how a player adjusts their strategy over time. Success is not about initial performance but about recognizing patterns (e.g., which balloon color pops sooner, which card deck is advantageous) and modifying behavior accordingly to improve outcomes.