The novel object recognition test is based on the premise that rodents will explore a novel object more than a familiar one, provided the animal is able to remember the familiar object.
Following a training period, the test animal is removed from the environment for a delay period which can range from 5 minutes to 24 hours, depending on the type of memory being tested. After the delay, the rodent is returned to the arena, where one of the original objects has been replaced by a new, dissimilar novel object. The amount of time the rodent spends exploring each object provides a powerful measurement of memory integrity and attention.

The flexibility of the novel object recognition test allows for testing of short- or long-term memory, and can be used to selectively test the effects of an acute drug treatment on a specific stage of memory formation.