The space fortress task: Psychometrics evidence and relationship with executive functions

The Space Fortress (SF) task has a history of research on complex skill acquisition and cognitive training. It supposedly involves executive functions (EFs) although this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested. The present study examines the psychometric properties of the SF task and its relationship with EFs. A total of 145 participants completed the SF task and a series of EF tasks. Statistical analyses evaluated the data distribution, reliability, and validity of the SF task, based on correlations with EFs. The results showed that the SF task demonstrated good to excellent psychometric properties and was significantly and strongly correlated with an EF composite score, suggesting the task's dependence on EFs. Sex was also significantly associated with SF performance, with men showing higher scores than women. This study allowed an empirical validation of the relationship between SF and EFs, reaffirming the potential of this task as a research tool.