Cognitive Decision Study (v1.0)

This survey examines how different response structures may influence cognitive friction, clarity, and action-readiness in demanding tasks, including human-AI interaction. Estimated time: 8-12 minutes.

Back to home Methodology Open live results
Exploratory research Non-clinical / non-diagnostic Anonymous by default Quality checks Autosave
Full instrument Mobile-first Academic-grade logging
Step 1/9
~10 min

Informed consent

Participation is voluntary. You may stop at any time without penalty. This study is non-clinical and non-diagnostic. It does not assess mental health conditions or disorders. We do not request your name or address. Responses are analyzed in aggregate.

Data transparency: we collect form responses and basic technical metadata (timezone, user agent, completion time) for quality control and analysis. Data retention period: 24 months from collection end date. Withdrawal requests can be made by emailing contact@jpwinter.co.uk with your participant_id.
How to answer: There are no right answers. Please respond based on typical experience, not an ideal version of yourself.
You can proceed only after providing consent.

Context (minimal)

These items help interpret results. No personally identifying information is required.

Quick scale guide (30 seconds)

Most questions use the same 1-7 scale. 1 always means very low / strongly disagree, and 7 always means very high / strongly agree.

Example: I enjoy reading.
If you strongly disagree, choose 1. If you strongly agree, choose 7.
1 = strongly disagree / very low 4 = neutral / medium 7 = strongly agree / very high

AI response comparison

Read two short AI-style responses to the same user request. After each, rate your experience and answer a quick comprehension check. Order is randomized.

User request: I need a clear plan to start a research project, but I feel overwhelmed.

Response A

Ratings for Response A (17)

1 = very low / strongly disagree 7 = very high / strongly agree
Perceived clarity (easy to follow)
1 = very unclear7 = very clear
Perceived cognitive heaviness (mental effort required)
1 = very light7 = very heavy
State fit (matches an overwhelmed mental state)
1 = poor fit7 = excellent fit

Comprehension check (Response A)

Short is fine. This helps measure practical usefulness, not just preference.

Response B

Ratings for Response B (17)

1 = very low / strongly disagree 7 = very high / strongly agree
Perceived clarity
1 = very unclear7 = very clear
Perceived cognitive heaviness
1 = very light7 = very heavy
State fit
1 = poor fit7 = excellent fit

Comprehension check (Response B)

Cognitive Friction (core construct)

Think of your typical experience with complex information (including AI outputs, dense text, or decision-heavy tasks). Use 17: 1 = very low / strongly disagree, 7 = very high / strongly agree.

Attention check: please select 4 for this item.
1 = strongly disagree7 = strongly agree

Cognitive Rhythm Activation (AD)

These reflect dynamic cognitive states (not personality types). Answer for cognitively demanding situations.

Frequency (17)

How often do you naturally operate in each rhythm? (1 = almost never, 7 = very often)

Misalignment friction (17)

If you are forced into this rhythm, how much does cognitive friction increase?

Mental Space

Mental Space refers to your available cognitive bandwidth and how context (environment, density, stress) affects clarity. Use 17: 1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree.

Core Decision Components (17)

Please rate how much you agree, based on typical experience in demanding tasks. 1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree.

Review & submit

Please review completion status. Then submit your response. Responses are submitted to the live study endpoint. If a network error occurs, please retry.

Completion checklist
    Anonymous participant code: Version: cognitive-decision-v1.0

    Keep your participant code if you may request data withdrawal later.