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CROSS MODAL PRIMING
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Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
Date: 09-13-2013
last updated: 02-21-2022 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
Script Copyright © 02-21-2022 Millisecond Software
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BACKGROUND INFO
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This script implements a basic cross modal priming paradigm (audio->visual) as generously shared by Dr. Meghan Sumner.
The basic question this script addresses is whether a within-accent (typical) voice facilitates the recognition of
the visual target compared to an atypically accented voice.
In general, priming procedures are simple response-timed binary categorization tasks of items from two target
categories (e.g. positive vs. negative adjectives). Priming Procedures are based on the assumption that
people respond faster if the target category was already 'mentally activated' by briefly presenting items
(called 'primes') that are closely connected in one's mind. Thus, a person should be faster to quickly categorize
the target word 'good' as 'positive' after the brief presentation of the prime word 'ice-cream' than
after the brief presentation of the prime word 'famine'. This particularly script uses the general priming
procedure in a cross-modal (auditory primes, visual targets) domain.
Millisecond Software thanks Dr. Sumner for generously supporting the development of this script and providing the stimuli!
For an example of a similar cross modal priming paradigm see:
Sumner, M. (2013). A phonetic explanation of pronunciation variant effects.
JASA Express Letters [http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4807432]. Published Online 5 June 2013.
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TASK DESCRIPTION
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Participants listen to audio recordings of words ("primes") that are followed by either visual presentations of
words or nonwords ("targets") presented in the middle of a computer screen. Participants are asked
to do a simple classification task on the visual word/nonword: press one key if the visual target is a word
and another key if the visual target is a nonword/pseudoword. Participants are encouraged to
respond as quickly as possible.
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DURATION
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the default set-up of the script takes appr. 5 minutes to complete
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DATA FILE INFORMATION
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The default data stored in the data files are:
(1) Raw data file: 'crossmodalpriming_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, group: with the current subject/groupnumber
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 such as feedback trials. Thus, trialnum
may not reflect the number of main trials run per block.
currentisi: the currently assigned interstimulusinterval (time between offset of prime and onset of target)
condition: 1 = "condition1" ("typical" AE);
2 = condition2 ("atypical" AE)
relatedness: 0 = N/A (filler);
1 = related target;
2 = unrelated target
prime: stores the current prime wav file played
target: stores the current visual target associated with the selected prime
stimulusite: the presented stimuli in order of trial presentation
response: the participant's key response (scancode of response key)
30 = A (left)
38 = L (right)
resp: the response: 'REAL' or 'PSEUDO'
correct: the correctness of the response (1 = correct; 0 = otherwise)
latency: the response latency; measured from onset of targets
(2) Summary data file: 'crossmodalpriming_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)
///parameter settings
usefixedISI: true = a fixed ISI is to be used in the study (set under /fixedISI)
false = different ISIs are to be used (see lists below under Editable Lists)
fixedISI: sets the fixed ISI (if a fixed ISI is to be used)
(Note: To customize randomly determinded ISI for each type of pairing go to Editable Lists for an example)
maxtargetpresentation: sets the max duration of the target/response trial (Note: trial is response terminated unless it takes longer
than parameters.maxtargetpresentation)
ITI: ITI - intertrialinterval: sets the pause between the end of one trial sequence (priming and task)
and the start of the next
fontheight: size of the visual targets
////summary DVs:
condition1 = "typical" American English
condition2 = "atypical" American Englich
R = related
UR = unrelated
errorrate_condition1R -
errorrate_condition2filler: (error)rate of categorizing related targets as pseudowords in all exp.condition
meanRT_condition1R -
meanRT_condition2filler: mean latency of correctly categorizing words/nonwords in each condition
Difference Scores (only correct responses considered):
Diff1: Difference Score between mean latency in Condition 1UR (unrelated) and mean latency in Condition 1R (related)
=> meanRT_condition1UR is expected to be slower (bigger latency) and therefore Diff_condition1 is
expected to be positive
Diff2: Difference Score between mean latency in Condition 2UR (unrelated) and mean latency in Condition 2R (related)
=> meanRT_condition2UR is expected to be slower (bigger latency) and therefore Diff_condition2 is
expected to be positive
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EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
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2 accents ("typical" American English vs. an "atypical" -ethnic variety- of AE ) X 2 levels of prime-target relatedness (Related vs. Unrelated)
R(elated) = identical in this script
- 12 prime-targets in each of the 4 experimental conditions, none of the targets in these conditions are nonwords
- 96 filler pairs that provide nonword targets
=> 1/2 the trials have words/nonwords
*Test Blocks:
- option to run test blocks in a blocked design by condition or in a mixed design (default)
=> go to EXPERIMENT section and follow additional instructions
*Trial Sequence:
audio prime -> ISI-> visual target (response terminated or until parameters.maxtargetpresentation) -> ITI
- under Editable Values it can be set whether a fixed interstimulusinterval (ISI: time between offset of prime and onset of target)
is to be used or whether varying ISIs should be used (controlled via editable lists) (default: fixed at 100ms)
- an intertrialinterval (ITI) can be set under Editable Values (default: 1000ms)
!!!Note: the response keys for word/pseudo words can be counterbalanced by groupnumber.
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STIMULI
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* audio stimuli: This script runs with stimuli provided by Dr. Sumner
* visual stimuli: This script runs with stimuli provided by Dr. Sumner
The visual stimuli are presented in Times New Roman, Fontheight is coded as a percentage of screen height and can be
edited under Editable Values.
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INSTRUCTIONS
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Instructions are made by Millisecond Software and can easily be customized under
EDITABLE CODE -> Editable Instructions
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EDITABLE CODE
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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:
Responsekey Set-up:
/responsekey1-
/responsekey2: sets the 2 responsekeys (uses scancodes) and labels them
(default: "A", "L")
Note: the response keys for words/pseudo words can be counterbalanced by groupnumber in this script
Duration Set ups:
/getReadyDuration: the duration (in ms) of the get-ready trial (default: 2000ms)
/maxtargetpresentation: sets the max duration (in ms) of the target/response trial (Note: trial is response terminated unless it takes longer
than parameters.maxtargetpresentation)
/ITI: ITI - intertrialinterval (in ms): sets the pause between the end of one trial sequence (priming and task)
and the start of the next (default: 2000ms)
/usefixedISI: true = a fixed ISI is to be used in the study (set under /fixedISI) (default option in this script)
false = different ISIs are to be used (see lists below under Editable Lists)
/fixedISI: sets the fixed ISI (if a fixed ISI is to be used)
(Note: To customize randomly determinded ISI for each type of pairing go to Editable Lists for an example)
/fontheight: size of the visual target (non)words
