ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lexical decision task

A lexical decision task is a game where the goal is to decide whether a word is a real word or not. Let's say we have a list of words like "cat," "dog," "flubber," and "snickermuffin." Your job is to say "yes" if it's a real word (like cat and dog) or "no" if it's not a real word (like flubber and snickermuffin).

Sometimes, this game is played on a computer screen. The words flash quickly, and you have to decide if it's a real word before the next word shows up. Other times, you might hear the words spoken out loud and have to say your answer out loud too.

This game is important because it helps scientists understand how your brain processes language. When you see a word like "cat," your brain quickly recognizes it as a real word and you say "yes" without even thinking about it. But when you see a word like "snickermuffin," your brain has to work a little harder to figure out if it's a real word or not.

Overall, a lexical decision task is a fun way to test how well you know your language and also help scientists learn more about how our brains work!