___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Dots Task* (German keyboard version) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Date: 04-02-2018 last updated: 02-28-2022 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Script Copyright © 02-28-2022 Millisecond Software Translation provided by K. Borchert for Millisecond Software ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND INFO ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This script implements the Dots Task. The Dots Task is a spatial incompability task with arbitrary shape stimuli similar to the Simon Task. The Dots Task was designed to target working memory and inhibition. Dots Task Reference: M.C. Davidson, D. Amso, L.C. Anderson, A. Diamond (2006). Development of cognitive control and executive functions from 4 to 13 years: Evidence from manipulations of memory, inhibition, and task switching. Neuropsychologia 44, 2037–2078 Simon Task Reference: Simon, J.R. and Wolf, J.D. (1963). Choice reaction times as a function of angular stimulus-response correspondence and age. Ergonomics, 6, 99-105. Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I. M., Klein, R., & Viswanathan, M. (2004). Bilingualism, Aging, and Cognitive Control: Evidence From the Simon Task. Psychology and Aging, 19(2), 290-303. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TASK DESCRIPTION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Participants are presented trials with either a red circle or a blue circle that appear to the left or right of a fixation cross. If participants see a red circle, they are asked to press the corresponding left or right response key (=congruent trials). For example, if the red circle is left to the fixation cross, participants are asked to press the left 'A' response key. If participants see a blue circle, they are asked to press the opposite response key (=incongruent trials). For example, if the blue circle is left to the fixation cross, participants are asked to press the right 'L' response key. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DURATION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ the default set-up of the script takes appr. 2 minutes to complete ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DATA FILE INFORMATION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The default data stored in the data files are: (1) Raw data file: 'dotstask_german_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. practice: 1 = practice block; 0 = test position: 1 = stimulus is positioned on the left; 2 = stimulus is positioned on the right congruence: 1 = congruent trial; 2 = incongruent trial prevCongruence: the congruence of the previous trial (important for mixed condition only) switch: 1 = switch trial (trial type changed from congruent to incongruent or vice versa); 2 = nonswitch trial (trial type stayed the same) countSwitch: counts the number of switch trials per block stimulusitem: the presented stimuli in order of trial presentation response: scancode of the the participant's response key 30 = A = left 38 = L = right correct: accuracy of response: 1 = correct response; 0 = otherwise Latency: the response latency (in ms); measured from: onset of stim list.ACC_practice.mean: the proportion correct during the current practice block countPractice: counts the number of practice blocks run (2) Summary data file: 'dotstask_mi_german_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) ///Practice Performance: countPractice: counts the number of practice blocks run practiceACC: the highest proportion correct in one of the practice blocks (if not run, propCorrect = 0) practicePass: 1 = participant successfully passed the practice session; 0 = otherwise ///Test Performance: propCorrect: proportion correct across all test trials meanRT: mean latency of correct responses across all test trials propCorrect_switch: proportion correct across switch trials meanRT_switch: mean latency of correct responses across switch test trials switch trial: switch from congruent to incongruent trial and vice versa propCorrect_nonswitch: proportion correct across nonswitch trials meanRT_nonswitch: mean latency of correct responses across nonswitch test trials propCorrect_congruent: proportion correct across congruent test trials meanRT_congruent: mean latency of correct responses across congruent test trials propCorrect_incongruent: proportion correct across incongruent test trials meanRT_incongruent: mean latency of correct responses across incongruent test trials SimonEffect : ms difference in "[mean corrRT Incongruent] - [mean corrRT Congruent]" positive value: participants responded faster when stimulus location and response button location were congruent ("stimulus-response compatibility") => Simon Effect [negative value: participants responded faster when stimulus location and response button location were incongruent] * separate data files: to change to one data file for all participants (on Inquisit Lab only), go to section "DATA" and follow further instructions ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Practice Block(s): a maximum of 3 (default, can be set under section Editable Parameters) practice blocks of 8 trials. If participants reach a performance of 75% correct (default, can be set under section Editable Parameters) during any of the blocks, the test block is started - otherwise the script is aborted after 3 unsuccessful practice blocks. During practice, participants receive positive feedback for 500ms if they press the correct response button. For incorrect responses as well as noresponses, participants will get a reminder of the rules and have to retry the trial (at this point, only correct responses are accepted to move to the next trial). 2. Test: 10 'red circle' trials (5 red circles left, 5 red circles right), 10 'blue circle' trials (5 blue circle left, 5 blue circle right) => random order with constraint that max. 3 of the same trials can be run consecutively => number of switch trials will vary (minimum number of switch trials = 6 for 20 trials) switch trial: switch from congruent to incongruent trial and vice versa Note: number of trials per block can be set under section Editable Parameters Trial Sequence: stimulus (circle)-> max. 1750ms (editable) -> iti: 1000ms (editable) (timings can easily be changed under section Editable Parameters) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STIMULI ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ provided by Millisecond Software - can be edited under section Editable Stimuli ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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: /congruentStim: stores the label used for the congruent stim (default: "RED circle") /incongruentStim: stores the label used for the incongruent stim (default: "BLUE circle") Note: if the stimuli are changed, picture.congruentStim and picture.incongruentStim need to be updated accordingly /minPracticeACC: the minimum practice performance (proportion correct) to let participants move from a practice block to a test block (default: 0.75) /maxPracticeRepeats: number of times a practice blocks can be repeated before the script is aborted (default: 3) /numberPracticeTrials: the number of practice trials per practice block (default: 8) /numberTestTrials: the number of test trials per test block (default: 20) Note: the number of trials should be divisible by 4 /readyDuration: the duration (in ms) of the get-ready-trial /stimDuration: the duration (in ms) of the stimulus presentation (= response timeout) (default: 1750) /iti: the intertrial interval (in ms) (default: 1000) /picSize: the proportional sizing (proportional to canvas height) of the pictures (default: 10%) /fixationSize: the proportional sizing (proportional to canvas height) of the fixation cross (default: 15%) /left_x: the left x-coordinate in canvas percentage (default: 30%) /right_x: the right x-coordinate in canvas percentage (default: 70%) Note: left edge of canvas = 0%, right edge of canvas = 100% (canvas = portion of the screen dedicated for the script) Key Assignment: /leftKey: the left response button (default: "A") /rightKey: the the right response button (default: "L")