OpenSesame for Mac

Quick summary for researchers

OpenSesame is a free-to-use application created for social science experimenters. It provides a visual, drag-and-drop style interface so researchers can assemble studies without deep programming skills. The tool is suitable for a variety of experimental paradigms and includes ready-made project scaffolds to speed up development.

Core strengths and capabilities

• Visual experiment construction that minimizes the need for coding
• Built-in templates and modules to jumpstart different study types
• Flexible stimulus and response options that you can tailor to each trial
• Multiple data-capture approaches so you can record the measures you need

Outputs and external tools

• Exports experiment results in several common formats for downstream processing
• Connects with widely used statistical and data-analysis packages to simplify post‑experiment workflows

Support, learning resources, and community

• Extensive written guides and tutorial material to help new users learn the system
• An active user forum where questions, shared scripts, and example experiments are exchanged

Alternative to try

• iVerbum (trial available) — a recommended substitute if you want to evaluate a different interface or feature set

Final notes and recommendation

Overall, OpenSesame is a practical, user-friendly option for academic researchers who want to design and run behavioral experiments without heavy programming. Its combination of templates, customization, and community support makes it a versatile choice for both newcomers and experienced experimenters.