Our lab publishes research on (1) Rational Thinking, Decision-Making, and Cognitive Abilities, as well as (2) ADHD and Developmental Psychopathology.
(1) Rational Thinking, Decision Making, and Cognitive Abilities
Books
Toplak, M. E. (2021). Cognitive Sophistication and the Development of Judgement and Decision-Making. Academic Press.
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2016). The Rationality Quotient (RQ): Toward a Test of Rational Thinking. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Toplak, M. E., & Weller, J. (Editors) (2016). Individual Differences in Judgment and Decision Making: A Developmental Perspective. London: Psychology Press.
Peer Reviewed Papers
Bach-Kay, S., & Toplak, M. E. (2025). Defining external regulation on standardized test instructions: A key variable for the academic success of students in the digital world. Learning and Individual Differences, 124(Complete). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2025.102805 Link to Article
de Costa, R., Ferrara, I., Toplak, M., Alam, A., Bowie, R., & Burnett, A. (2025). Behavioural insights and environmental sustainability: Key findings and policy implications from a systematic review. Journal of Environmental Management, 390, 126118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126118 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E. & Toplak, M. E. (2025). Actively open-minded thinking and liberal ideology: Associations and dissociations. Thinking and Reasoning. DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2025.2520186. Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E. & Toplak, M. E. (2025). Reconceptualizing the rationality of conspiratorial thinking. In J. Forgas (Ed.), The psychology of false belief. New York: Routledge. Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., & Toplak, M. E. (2024). Conspiracy beliefs in the context of a comprehensive rationality assessment. Thinking & Reasoning, 1–23. DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2024.2368026 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2024). Measuring rational thinking in adolescents: The Assessment of Rational Thinking for Youth (ART-Y). Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 37(2). DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2381 Link to Article Assessment of Rational Thinking for Youth (ART-Y)
Stanovich, K. E., & Toplak, M.E. (2023) Actively open-minded thinking and its measurement. Journal of Intelligence, 11(2), 27.DOI:10.3390/jintelligence11020027 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., & Toplak, M. E. (2023). A good architecture for fast and slowing thinking, but exclusivity is exclusively in the past. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 46, e142. DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X22002904 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Flora, D. B. (2021). Resistance to cognitive biases: Longitudinal trajectories and associations with cognitive abilities and academic achievement across development. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 34(3), 344–358. DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2214 Link to Article
Rizeq, J., Flora, D. B., & Toplak, M. E. (2021). An examination of the underlying dimensional structure of three domains of contaminated mindware: paranormal beliefs, conspiracy beliefs, and anti-science attitudes. Thinking & Reasoning, 27(2), 187–211. DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2020.1759688 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Rizeq, J. (2020). Development of judgment, Decision Making, and Rationality. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.542
Stanovich, K. E., & Toplak, M. E. (2019). The need for intellectual diversity in psychological science: Our own studies of actively open-minded thinking as a case study. Cognition, 187(Complete), 156–166. DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.03.006 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2016). Real‐world correlates of performance on heuristics and biases tasks in a community sample. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 30(2), 541–554. DOI: 10.1002/bdm.1973 Link to Article
Basile, A. G. & Toplak, M. E. (2015). Four converging measures of temporal discounting and their relationships with intelligence, executive functions, thinking dispositions, and behavioral outcomes. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00728 Link to Article
Sorge, G. B., Skilling, T. A., & Toplak, M. E. (2015). Intelligence, executive functions, and decision making as predictors of antisocial behavior in an adolescent sample of justice-involved youth and a community comparison group. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 28(5), 477–490. DOI: 10.1002/bdm.1864 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F. & Toplak, M. E. (2014). Rationality, intelligence, and the defining features of Type 1 and Type 2 processing. In J. Sherman, B. Gawronski, & Y. Trope (Eds.), Dual processes in social psychology. New York: Guildford Publications Inc. Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2014). Rational thinking and cognitive sophistication: Development, cognitive abilities, and thinking dispositions. Developmental Psychology, 50(4), 1037–1048. DOI: 10.1037/a0034910 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2014). Assessing the development of rationality. In H. Markovits (Ed.), The developmental psychology of reasoning and decision-making (pp. 7-35). Psychology Press. DOI: 10.4324/9781315856568 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2014). Assessing miserly information processing: An expansion of the Cognitive Reflection Test. Thinking & Reasoning, 20(2), 147–168. DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2013.844729 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2013). Myside bias, rational thinking, and intelligence. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(4), 259-264. DOI: 10.1177/0963721413480174 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2013). Practitioner review: Do performance-based measures and ratings of executive function assess the same construct? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(2), 131–143. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12001 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., & Toplak, M. E. (2012). Defining features versus incidental correlates of Type 1 and Type 2 processing. Mind & Society, 11(1), 3–13. DOI: 10.1007/s11299-011-0093-6 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2012). Education for rational thought. In J. Kirby and M. Lawson (Eds.), Enhancing the quality of learning: Dispositions, instruction, and learning processes (pp. 51-92). New York: Cambridge University Press. DOI:10.1017/CBO9781139048224.006
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F. & Toplak, M. E. (2012). Judgment and decision making in adolescence: Separating intelligence from rationality. In V. F. Reyna, S. Chapman, M. Dougherty, & J. Confrey (Eds.), The adolescent brain: Learning, reasoning, and decision-making (pp. 337-378). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. DOI: 10.1037/13493-012 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2011). The Cognitive Reflection Test as a predictor of performance on heuristics and biases tasks. Memory & Cognition, 39(7), 1275–1289. DOI: 10.3758/s13421-011-0104-1 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2011). The complexity of developmental predictions from dual process models. Developmental Review, 31(2–3), 103–118. DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2011.07.003 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F. & Toplak, M. E. (2011). The assessment of rational thought. In K. E. Stanovich, Rationality and the reflective mind. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195341140.003.0010
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2011). Intelligence and rationality. In R. J. Sternberg & S. B. Kaufman (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of intelligence (pp. 784-826). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511977244.040 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., West, R. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2011). Individual differences as essential components of heuristics and biases research. In K. Manktelow, D. Over, & S. Elqayam (Eds.), The science of reason (pp. 355-396). New York: Psychology Press. Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Sorge, G. B., Benoit, A., West, R. F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2010). Decision-making and cognitive abilities: A review of associations between Iowa Gambling Task performance, executive functions, and intelligence. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(5), 562–581. DOI:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.002 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., Toplak, M. E., & West, R. F. (2010). Contaminated mindware: Thinking biases of the cognitive miser. Rotman Magazine, Winter, 16-21.
Shuster, J., & Toplak, M. E. (2009). Executive and motivational inhibition: associations with measures of everyday inhibition. Consciousness and Cognition, 18(2), 471–480. DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2009.01.004 Link to Article
West, R. F., Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2008). Heuristics and biases as measures of critical thinking: Associations with cognitive ability and thinking dispositions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(4), 930–941. DOI:10.1037/a0012842 Link to Article
Stanovich, K. E., Toplak, M. E., & West, R. F. (2008). The development of rational thought: A taxonomy of heuristics and biases. In R. V. Kail (Ed), Advances in Child Development and Behavior (pp. 251-285).San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press. DOI:10.1016/S0065-2407(08)00006-2 Link to Article
Wickens, C. M., Toplak, M. E., & Wiesenthal, D. L. (2008). Cognitive failures as predictors of driving errors, lapses, and violations. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40(3), 1223–1233. DOI:10.1016/j.aap.2008.01.006 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Liu, E., Macpherson, R., Toneatto, T., & Stanovich, K. E. (2007). The reasoning skills and thinking dispositions of problem gamblers: A dual-process taxonomy. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 20(2), 103–124. DOI::10.1002/bdm.544 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2003). Associations between myside bias on an informal reasoning task and amount of post-secondary education. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 17(7), 851–860. DOI:10.1002/acp.915 Link to Article
Kokis, J. V., Macpherson, R., Toplak, M. E., West, R., F., & Stanovich, K. E. (2002). Heuristic and analytic processing: Age trends and associations with cognitive ability. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 83(1), 26–52. DOI:10.1016/S0022-0965(02)00121-2 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2002). The domain specificity and generality of disjunctive reasoning: Searching for a generalizable critical thinking skill. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 197–209. DOI:10.1037/0022-0663.94.1.197 Link to Article
(2) ADHD and Developmental Psychopathology
Peer Reviewed Papers
Lyon*, R. E., Rizeq, J., Flora, D. B., Martinussen, R., Andrade, B. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2022). Age-related variance in performance versus ratings of attention and impulse regulation in children: Implications for the assessment of ADHD. Brain Sciences, 12(8). DOI:10.3390/brainsci12081033 Link to Article
Espinet, S. D., Graziosi*, G., Toplak, M. E., Hesson, J., & Minhas, P. (2022). A review of Canadian diagnosed ADHD prevalence and incidence estimates published in the past decade. Brain Sciences, 12(8), 1051. DOI:10.3390/brainsci12081051 Link to Article
Deotto*, A., Eastwood, J. D., & Toplak, M. E. (2022). Temperament profiles associated with internalizing symptoms and externalizing behavior in adolescents with ADHD. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 53(1), 109–123. DOI:10.1007/s10578-020-01116-z Link to Article
Rizeq, J., Toplak, M. E., Ledochowski, J., Basile, A., & Andrade, B. F. (2020). Callous-Unemotional Traits and Executive Functions are Unique Correlates of Disruptive Behavior in Children. Developmental Neuropsychology, 45(3), 154–166. DOI:10.1080/87565641.2020.1737698 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & LeGris, J. (2020). Introduction to Special Issue: ADHD Research in a Canadian Context. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 29, 2–3.
Hsu, C.-F., Eastwood, J. D., Toplak, M. E., Liang, J.-C., Hwang-Gu, S.-L., & Chen, V. C.-H. (2020). Trait and state boredom: Associations with attention failure in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychiatry Research, 286. DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112861 Link to Article
Bambrah, V., Hsu, C.-F., Toplak, M. E., & Eastwood, J. D. (2019). Anticipated, experienced, and remembered subjective effort and discomfort on sustained attention versus working memory tasks. Consciousness and Cognition, 75. DOI:10.1016/j.concog.2019.102812 Link to Article
Wanstall, E. A., Doidge, J., Weiss, J., & Toplak, M. E. (2019). Estimations of competence in neurodevelopmental conditions: A review. Psihologijske Teme, 28(1), 193–232. DOI:10.31820/pt.28.1.10 Link to Article
Ledochowski, J., Andrade, B. F., & Toplak, M. E. (2019) A novel unstructured performance-based task of executive function in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 41(5), 445–459. DOI:10.1080/13803395.2019.1567694 Link to Article
Doidge, J. L., Flora, D. B., & Toplak, M. E. (2021). A Meta-Analytic Review of Sex Differences on Delay of Gratification and Temporal Discounting Tasks in ADHD and Typically Developing Samples. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25(4), 540–561. DOI:10.1177/1087054718815588 Link to Article
Basile, A., Toplak, M. E., & Andrade, B. F. (2021). Using Metacognitive Methods to Examine Emotion Recognition in Children With ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25(2), 245–257. DOI:10.1177/1087054718808602 Link to Article
Hsu, C. F., Propp, L., Panetta, L., Martin, S., Dentakos, S., Toplak, M. E., & Eastwood, J. D. (2018). Mental effort and discomfort: Testing the peak-end effect during a cognitively demanding task. PLoS One, 13(2), e0191479. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0191479 Link to Article
Rizeq, J., Flora, D. B., & Toplak, M. E. (2017). Changing relations among cognitive abilities across development: Implications for measurement and research. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31(8), 1353–1374. DOI:10.1080/13854046.2017.1317034 Link to Article
Hsu, C.F., Eastwood, J. D., & Toplak, M. E. (2017). Differences in perceived mental effort required and discomfort during a working memory task between individuals at-risk and not at-risk for ADHD. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00407 Link to Article
Ilie, Gabriela, Vingilis, E. R., Mann, R. E., Hamilton, H., Toplak, M. E., Adlaf, E. M., Kolla, N., Ialomiteanu, A., van der Mass, Asbridge, M., Vingilis-Jaremko, L., Rehm, J., & Cusimano, M. D. (2015). The association between traumatic brain injury and ADHD in a Canadian adult sample. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 69(Complete), 174–179. DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.004
Vingilis, E., Erickson, P. G., Toplak, M. E., Kolla, N. J., Mann, R. E., Seeley, J., vanderMaas, M., & Daigle, D. S. (2015). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms, comorbidities, substance use, and social outcomes among men and women in a Canadian sample. BioMed Research International, 2015. DOI:10.1155/2015/982072
Sorge, G.B., van der Maas, M., Flora, D.B., Vingilis, E., Mann, R. E., Erickson, P., Jain, U., Kolla, N., Seeley, J., & Toplak, M. E. (2015). Using factor analytic models to examine the association between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms and health-related outcomes in a representative population survey. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 7(3), 225–235. DOI:10.1007/s12402-015-0167-0 Link to Article
Vingilis, E., Mann, R. E., Erickson, P., Toplak, M. E., Kolla, N. J., and Seeley, J. (2014) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, other mental health problems, substance use and driving: Examination of a population-based, representative Canadian sample. Traffic Injury Prevention, 15(sup1), S1–S9. DOI:10.1080/15389588.2014.926341 Link to Article
LeGris, J., Toplak, M. E., & Links, P. S. (2014). Affective decision making in women with Borderline Personality Disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders, 28(5), 698–719. DOI:10.1521/pedi_2014_28_140 Link to Article
Shuster, J., Perry, A., Bebko, J., & Toplak, M. E. (2014). Review of factor analytic studies examining symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(1), 90-110. DOI:10.1007/s10803-013-1854-3 Link to Article
LeGris, J., Links, P. S., van Reekum, R., Tannock, R. & Toplak, M. E. ( 2012). Executive function and suicidal risk in women with Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychiatry Research, 196(1), 101–108. DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2011.10.008
Toplak, M. E., Sorge, G. B., Flora, D. B., Chen, W., Banaschewski, T., Buitelaar, J., Ebstein, R., Eisenberg, J., Franke, B., Gill, M., Miranda, A., Oadea, R. D., Roeyers, H., Rothenberger, A., Sergeant, J., Sonuga-Barke, E., Steinhausen, H. C., Thompson, M., Tannock, R., Asherson, P., & Faraone, S. V. (2012). The hierarchical factor model of ADHD: Invariant across age and national groupings? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(3), 292–303. DOI:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02500.x
Normand, S., Flora, D. B., Toplak, M. E., & Tannock, R. (2012). Evidence for a general ADHD factor from a longitudinal general school population study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 40(4), 555–567. DOI:10.1007/s10802-011-9584-5
Gibbins, C., Toplak, M. E., Flora, D. B., Weiss, M. D., & Tannock, R. (2012). Evidence for a general factor model of ADHD in adults. Journal of Attention Disorders, 16(8), 635–644. DOI:10.1177/1087054711416310
Connors, L. L., Connolly, J., & Toplak, M. E. (2012). Self–reported inattention in early adolescence in a community sample. Journal of Attention Disorders, 16(1), 60–70. DOI:10.1177/1087054710379734 Link to Article
DeBono, T., Hosseini, A., Cairo, C., Ghelani, K., Tannock, R., & Toplak, M. E. (2011). Written expression performance in adolescents with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Reading and Writing, 25(6), 1403–1426. DOI:10.1007/s11145-011-9325-8 Link to Article
Rogers, M, Hwang, H., Toplak, M. E., Weiss, M., & Tannock, R. (2011). Inattention, working memory, and academic achievement in adolescents referred for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Child Neuropsychology, 17(5), 444–458. DOI:10.1080/09297049.2010.544648 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Pitch, A., Flora, D. B., Iwenofu, L., Ghelani, K., Jain, U., & Tannock, R. (2009). The unity and diversity of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in ADHD: Evidence for a general factor with separable dimensions. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(8), 1137–1150. DOI:10.1007/s10802-009-9336-y Link to Article
Toplak, M. E. (2009). Comment on: Am J Psychiatry, 2008 (June), 165, 721-730. Osmotically released methylphenidate is more effective than atomoxetine in children and adolescents with ADHD. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 12, 19. DOI:10.1136/ebmh.12.1.19
Sorge, G. B., Moore, T., & Toplak, M. E. (2009). Comparing the content of parenting self-help programs to evidence-based parenting programs: Understanding the efficacy of self-help advice. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, 7, 26-36. Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Bucciarelli, S., Jain, U., & Tannock, R. (2008). Executive Functions: Performance-Based Measures and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Child Neuropsychology, 15(1), 53–72. DOI:10.1080/09297040802070929 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Connors, L., Shuster, J., Knezevic, B., & Parks, S. (2008). Review of cognitive, cognitive-behavioral, and neural-based interventions for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Clinical Psychology Review, 28(5), 801–823. DOI:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.10.008 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Dockstader, C., & Tannock, R. (2006). Temporal information processing in ADHD: Findings to date and new methods. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 151(1), 15–29. DOI:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2005.09.018 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., Jain, U., & Tannock, R. (2005). Executive and motivational processes in adolescents with Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Behavioral and brain functions : BBF, 1(1), 8. DOI:10.1186/1744-9081-1-8 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Tannock, R. (2005). Tapping and anticipation performance in Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Perceptual and Motor Skills, 100(3), 659–675. DOI:10.2466/pms.100.3.659-675 Link to Article
Toplak, M. E., & Tannock, R. (2005). Time perception: Modality and duration effects in Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 639-654. DOI:10.1007/s10802-005-6743-6 Link to Article
Stringer, R., Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2004). Differential relationships between RAN performance, behaviour ratings, and executive function measures: Searching for a double dissociation. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 17, 891-914. DOI:10.1007/s11145-004-2770-x
Toplak, M. E., Rucklidge, J. J., Hetherington, R., John, S. C. F, & Tannock, R. (2003). Time perception deficits in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and comorbid reading difficulties in child and adolescent samples. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44, 888-903. DOI:10.1111/1469-7610.0017