___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Linguistic SRT (aka AGL-SRT) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Date: 02-14-2023 last updated: 04-20-2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Script Copyright © 04-20-2023 Millisecond Software ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND INFO ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This script implements Millisecond Software's version of the linguistic Serial Reaction Time (SRT) task - also referred to as the AGL-SRT- described by Misyak et al (2010) and Quam et al (2018). The linguistic SRT task combines a serial reaction time task with artificial grammar learning (Misyak et al, 2010) and has been used as a measure of procedural memory in language learning (Quam et al, 2018). *References* Misyak, J. B., Christiansen, M. H., and Tomblin, J. B. (2010). On-line individual differences in statistical learning predict language processing. Front. Psychol. 1:31. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2010.00031 Quam, C., Wang, A., Maddox, W. T., Golisch, K., & Lotto, A. (2018). Procedural-Memory, Working-Memory, and Declarative-Memory Skills Are Each Associated With Dimensional Integration in Sound-Category Learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1828–1828. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01828 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TASK DESCRIPTION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ///// Task////// In this task, participants see a 2x3 matrix filled with nonwords. Column1 holds two different 'A' nonwords (sampled from 3 possible ones). One 'A' word is the target and the other one is the foil. Column2 holds two different 'B' nonwords (sampled from 24 possible ones). One 'B' word is the target and the other one is the foil. Column3 holds two different 'C' nonwords (sampled from 3 possible ones). One 'C' word is the target and the other one is the foil. For each column (starting with the A column), the computer plays a soundfile that pronounces the target and the participants' task is to select the spoken word in the matrix as fast as possible. As soon as the response is registered, the soundfile for the next column is played and so on. At the end of a sequence a blank screen is shown for a short duration before the next 2x3 matrix is presented. /////Procedure////// Participants work through 3 phases that flow into each other unannounced. 1. Training: Participants work through 6 blocks of training (72 trials each). During training, the C-nonwords always depend on the A-nonwords (the pairing of the three A-nonwords and the three C-nonword is randomly decided at script start) => artificial 'grammar learning' 2. Disruption: Participants work through 1 block of 24 trials. During the shorter disruption block, the previously learned AC-dependencies are completely avoided. Thus, A-nonwords are always presented with one of the C-nonwords that the A-nonwords were NOT paired with during training. 3. Recovery: Participants work through 1 block of 72 trials. During recovery, the training AC pairings are once again in effect. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DURATION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ the default set-up of the script takes appr. 40 minutes to complete ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DATA FILE INFORMATION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The default data stored in the data files are: (1) Raw data file: 'linguisticsrt_raw*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant) build: The specific Inquisit version used (the 'build') that was run computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android) date, time: date and time script was run subject: with the current subject id group: with the current group id session: with the current session id blockcode, blocknum: the name and number of the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) trialcode, trialnum: the name and number of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) Note: trialnum is a built-in Inquisit variable; it counts all trials run; even those that do not store data to the data file. pairAC1: the AC1 pair (e.g. pel-tood) pairAC2: the AC2 pair (e.g. dak-rud) pairAC3: the AC3 pair (e.g. vot-jic) A1: the A1 word (e.g. pel) C1: the C1 word (e.g. tood) A2: the A1 word (e.g. dak) C2: the C1 word (e.g. rud) A3: the A1 word (e.g. vot) C3: the C1 word (e.g. jic) phase: the current phase of the script (e.g. "training") defaultSeq: 0 = a unique (training) sequence could be generated for the current block 1 = a unique (training) sequence could not be generated; the default one was used instead (should be rare) blockCounter_perPhase: the number of blocks run in the current phase trialCounter_perBlock: the number of trials run in the current block target: stores the current target sequence (e.g. dak-loga-rud) foil: stores the current foil sequence (e.g. vot-kicey-jic) A_target: the A target (e.g. dak) A_targetIndex: the itemnumber of targetA (used to call the soundfile) A_targetSoundfile: the played targetA soundfile B_target: the B target (e.g. loga) B_targetIndex: the itemnumber of targetB (used to call the soundfile) B_targetSoundfile: the played targetB soundfile C_target: the C target (e.g. rud) C_targetIndex: the itemnumber of targetB (used to call the soundfile) C_targetSoundfile: the played targetC soundfile A_foil: the A foil (e.g. vot) B_foil: the B foil (e.g. kicey) C_foil: the C foil (e.g. jic) A_target_position: 1 = target A on top; 2 = target A on bottom B_target_position: 1 = target B on top; 2 = target B on bottom C_target_position: 1 = target B on top; 2 = target B on bottom response: the response of participant: the selected response (e.g. A_target) correct: correctness of response (1 = correct, 0 = error) latency: response latency (in ms); measured from: onset of nonword (2) Summary data file: 'linguisticsrt_summary*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant) inquisit.version: Inquisit version run computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android) startDate: date script was run startTime: time script was started subjectid: assigned subject id number groupid: assigned group id number sessionid: assigned session id number elapsedTime: time it took to run script (in ms); measured from onset to offset of script completed: 0 = script was not completed (prematurely aborted); 1 = script was completed (all conditions run) sequenceFlag: should be empty BUT sequenceFlag = stores the phase and blocknumber during which the default sequence was run because the script couldn't generate a unique sequence within time constraints //training1-training6 training1_propTargetA: proportion selected A targets training1_meanRT_targetA: mean response time in selecting A targets training1_propTargetB: proportion selected B targets training1_meanRT_targetB: mean response time in selecting B targets training1_propTargetC: proportion selected C targets training1_meanRT_targetC: mean response time in selecting C targets (same for all training blocks) //disruption disruption_propTargetA: proportion selected A targets disruption_meanRT_TargetA: mean response time in selecting A targets disruption_propTargetB: proportion selected B targets disruption_meanRT_TargetB: mean response time in selecting B targets disruption_propTargetC: proportion selected C targets disruption_meanRT_TargetC: mean response time in selecting C targets //recovery recovery_propTargetA: proportion selected A targets recovery_meanRT_TargetA: mean response time in selecting A targets recovery_propTargetB: proportion selected B targets recovery_meanRT_TargetB: mean response time in selecting B targets recovery_propTargetC: proportion selected C targets recovery_meanRT_TargetC: mean response time in selecting C targets ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A-nonwords: the nonwords that appear in the left column of the matrix B-nonwords: the nonwords that appear in the center column of the matrix C-nonwords: the nonwords that appear in the right column of the matrix (see list.A, list.B, list.C) ////////////// Preparation ////////////// At the beginning of the script run, the script randomly pairs the 3 A-nonwords with the 3 (non-adjacent) dependent C nonwords. This (non-adjacent) dependency is then kept fixed for the entire training run. Example: 'A = pel is paired with C = vok' throughout the training The script also generates the 72 unique nonword strings: => 3 different, fixed non-adjacent dependency pairs (AC) x 24 different B nonwords = 72 unique nonword strings Example: 'pel-wadim-vok' //////////////////////////////////////// TRAINING of 'grammatical' dependencies //////////////////////////////////////// By default this scripts runs 6 training blocks (see editable parameters to change number of training blocks. Note that increasing the numbers requires adding additional summary variables) - in this script each training block runs the 72 unique nonword strings consisting of the 3 nonwords (A,B,C) once as a target and once as a foil - the script ensures that each target/foil strings pairs run different nonwords in the A, B, and C positions. Notes: 1. this script generates a new list of target/foil pairs for every block. If no suitable pair list is generated within given time constraints (unlikely), the script uses the default pairing lists instead and leaves a note in the raw data file. The default target/foil pairings conform to all constraints. The default target/foil pairs are fixed but the order of pairings is randomly determined, so even if the default lists were used consecutively (highly unlikely), participants would not see the same order of trials. 2. this script uses the non-adjacent AC pairs for targets AND foils. The result is that each target sequence is also run as a foil. - the position of the A target (A foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the A target appears on top in 50% of all trials - the position of the B target (B foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the B target appears on top in 50% of all trials - the position of the C target (C foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the C target appears on top in 50% of all trials Note: positions for A,B,C targets are selected independently from each other ///////////////////////////////////////// DISRUPTION of 'grammatical' dependencies ///////////////////////////////////////// This scripts runs 1 disruption block (24 trials) of the grammatical dependencies AC. The trained grammatical dependencies are disrupted for all pairs, thus A targets (A foils) are never paired with their former dependant Cs. - the disruption block runs 24 unique nonword strings consisting of the 3 nonwords (A,B,C) once as a target and once as a foil - the script ensures that each target/foil strings pairs run different nonwords in the A, B, and C positions. Notes: 1. If no suitable target/foil pair list is generated within given time constraints (unlikely), the script uses a default pairing lists instead and leaves a note in the raw data file (see values.defaultSeq). The default target/foil pairings conform to all constraints. The default target/foil pairs are fixed but the order of pairings is randomly determined. - the position of the A target (A foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the A target appears on top in 50% of all trials - the position of the B target (B foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the B target appears on top in 50% of all trials - the position of the C target (C foil) is randomly determined with the constraint that the C target appears on top in 50% of all trials Note: positions for A,B,C targets are selected independently from each other ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STIMULI ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ provided by Millisecond Software - can be edited under section 'Editable Stimuli/Lists' The soundfiles were generated by FIVERR by (female American English Native Speaker) for Millisecond Software . ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ INSTRUCTIONS ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ provided by Millisecond Software - can be edited under section 'Editable Instructions' ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDITABLE CODE ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ check below for (relatively) easily editable parameters, stimuli, instructions etc. Keep in mind that you can use this script as a template and therefore always "mess" with the entire code to further customize your experiment. The parameters you can change are: