Return to the Symbol Digit Substitution Task - Mouse/Touch Input - Form 1 page
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SYMBOL DIGIT SUBSTITUTION TASK - (VERSION 1) - mouse input
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Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
(reusing some matrix code from the Inquisit Information Sampling Script by David Nitz)
Date: 09-27-2012
last updated: 09-17-2021 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
Script Copyright © 09-17-2021 Millisecond Software
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BACKGROUND INFO
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This script is based on the computerized Inquisit version of the WISC Coding Task (PROCESSING SPEED TASK) developed by
Amy Finn (Ph.D), John Gabrieli (Ph.D.) and Julia Leonard.
Symbols provided by Millisecond Software.
This script version asks participants to convert digits into symbols and uses mouse/touch input.
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TASK DESCRIPTION
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Participant are presented with a 18 (columns) x 16 (rows) matrix. Odd rows contain digits (1-9),
even rows contain empty answer boxes (18x8 = 144).
The task is to translate the digits into symbols with the help of a provided key within a 2 min time frame.
Participants have to select symbols from buttons placed below the matrix - the symbols are
arranged in a random order to avoid an obvious mapping between rank and symbol (e.g. the symbol corresponding to
1 should not be placed in the number 1 button slot etc.)
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DURATION
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the default set-up of the script takes appr. 3.5 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: 'symboldigitsubstitutiontaskmi_test1_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
script.sessionid: 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.
version: the version of the Inquisit Digit Symbol Substitution Task run
box ordinal number of the box within the grid for the current symbol
response: itemnumber of the selected symbol
currentResponse: digit value of the response key
correctanswer: the correct symbol itemnumber for the current symbol
correct: 1 if given response is correct, 0 if given response is incorrect
latency: time in milliseconds for the current response
correctcount: total count of correct responses
errorcount: total count of erroroneous responses
(2) Summary data file: 'symboldigitsubstitutiontaskmi_test1_summary.iqdat' (Inquisit Lab: a separate file per participant)
computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android)
script.startdate: date script was run
script.starttime: time script was started
script.subjectid: assigned subject id number
script.groupid: assigned group id number
script.sessionid: assigned session id number
script.elapsedtime: time it took to run script (in ms); measured from onset to offset of script
script.completed: 0 = script was not completed (prematurely aborted);
1 = script was completed (all conditions run)
version: the version of the Inquisit Digit Symbol Substitution Task run
totalseconds: maximum time in seconds allowed for the task
correctcount: total count of correct responses
errorcount: total count of erroroneous responses
secondspercorrect: average number of seconds per correct response
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EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
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(A) PRACTICE:
* 9 practice boxes that appear in gray (practice grid boxes are presented separately from the complete grid)
* 3 of these are already filled in with symbols
* 6 need to be filled in by participant
* the box that needs to be filled in next is highlighted in a different color
* if the answer is correct, the answer is filled in the box and the next practice box is highlighted
* if the answer is incorrect, a text stimulus (in red) appears that reminds participant to correct
the answer. In addition, the box (with the incorrect answer choice) turns red.
* once all practice boxes are filled in correctly, participants press the space bar to continue
* after a final instruction screen comes up, participants press the space bar to start the test
* the complete grid appears and the timed portion of the test starts
(B) TIMED TEST:
* the first presented coding matrix/grid contains 135 test boxes (135 = 144 - 9 practice boxes)
(if another coding matrix is necessary, it will contain 144 test boxes)
* there is no feedback
* the next box that needs to be filled in is highlighted in a different color
(highlighted boxes move from row to row, left to right)
* participant cannot correct their answers nor jump ahead.
* after two minutes the test ends.
(C) ORDER OF SYMBOLS:
the order of the symbols can be edited under section EDITABLE LISTS
Follow instructions.
(D) CANVASSIZE:
In order to provide roughly the same size set-up on different monitors, a specific pixel resolution can be
set under DEFAULTS (for example: 1024px,768px). To change the pixelsize, go to DEFAULTS and change /canvassize.
!!!However, there is no absolute relationship between a pixel and any "real",
physical measurement unit (mm, cm, inches, etc.). It's different on each monitor.
If the same size is REQUIRED, you can use script MonitorCalibration.iqx to calibrate your monitor.
Transfer the data stored for values.canvassize (in MonitorCalibration.iqx) into
/canvassize = under the DEFAULTS section in this script.
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INSTRUCTIONS
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All instruction stimuli are presented under INSTRUCTIONS. Instructions are either
pages, text stimuli, or instruction images. If instructions need to be changed on images,
new images need to be created (e.g. in PowerPoint) and saved under the current file names.
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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:
/timelimit: default duration (120000ms =>2min) for the timed portion of the test in ms