PEBL Hub — IRB Fact Sheet — 2026-08-23
Berlin Numeracy Test
Category:Risk & Decision Making
Duration:~4 minutes
Parameters:2 configurable parameters: adaptive mode and response format
Version:1.0
Input:Keyboard, Mouse, Touch
Description
A brief test measuring statistical numeracy and risk literacy through probability questions
The Berlin Numeracy Test is a psychometrically sound instrument for quickly assessing statistical numeracy and risk literacy in adults. It can use an adaptive procedure that efficiently categorizes individuals into one of four competency levels using as few as 2-4 questions depending on performance. The test can be administered in adaptive or non-adaptive modes, with multiple choice or open-ended numeric response formats.
Key Parameters
| doadaptive | Whether the adaptive version of the test should be used. (default: 0) |
| domultiplechoice | Whether responses should be multiple choice. (default: 0) |
Example Data Output (1 sample rows)
| subnum | timestamp | adaptive | mc | totaltime | q1Resp | q1Time | q1Correct | q2Resp | q2Time | q2Correct | q3Resp | q3Time | q3Correct | q4Resp | q4Time | q4Correct | quantile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1515 | Sat Nov 1 13:08:08 2025 | 1 | 1 | 7.636 | 2 | 1874 | 1 | NA | NA | NA | 3 | 918 | 0 | 4 | 611 | 0 | 3 |
References
Cokely, E. T., Galesic, M., Ghazal, S., Schulz, E., & Garcia-Retamero, R. (2012). Measuring risk literacy: The Berlin Numeracy Test. Judgment and Decision Making, 7, 25–47.