Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Last Modified: January 11, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script runs a simple auditory reaction time task.
2 minutes
After variable time intervals, a sound is played to the participant. The task is to press the spacebar as soon as the sound is presented. Mean and Median latency, latency standard deviation as well as minimum latency and maximum latency are recorded in the summary data file.
• By default, the script runs 1 block of 20 trials
• the time intervals are randomly chosen from 2000ms, 3000ms, 4000ms, 5000ms, 6000ms, 7000ms, 8000ms intervals
• By default, the sound is panned through both speakers.
• By default, the sound volume is not adjusted.
• By default, the color of the screen background is white.
see section Editable Stimuli
Instructions are provided by Millisecond
as htm/html pages and can be edited by changing the provided htm/html files.
To edit htm/html-files: open the respective documents in simple Text Editors such as TextEdit (Mac)
or Notepad (Windows).
File Name: srtauditory_summary*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| inquisit.version | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| computer.touch | 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities |
| computer.hasKeyboard | 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected |
| startDate | Date the session was run |
| startTime | Time the session was run |
| subjectId | Participant ID |
| groupId | Group number |
| sessionId | Session number |
| elapsedTime | Session duration in ms |
| completed | 0 = Test was not completed 1 = Test was completed |
| targetspeaker | The current speaker through which target is presented |
| volumeadjust | The current volume adjustment |
| speakerfixed | Determines whether to play the sound though a fixed speaker or randomly through either the left, the right, or both speakers. |
| maxtrialnumber | The number of valid trials in a block that should be run |
| meanRT | The mean response times (in ms) of valid responses (first trial excluded) |
| sdRT | The standard deviation (in ms) of the response times of valid responses (first trial excluded) |
| medianRT | The median response times (in ms) of valid responses (first trial excluded) |
| minRT | The fastest response time (in ms) of valid responses (first trial excluded) |
| maxRT | The slowest response time (in ms) of valid responses (first trial excluded) |
| countEarlyResponses | Counts the number of times the spacebar was pressed before the sound was played (excludes first trial) |
File Name: srtauditory_raw*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| build | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| computer.touch | 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities |
| computer.hasKeyboard | 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected |
| date | Date the session was run |
| time | Time the session was run |
| subject | Participant ID |
| group | Group number |
| session | Session number |
| blockcode | The name the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| blocknum | The number of the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| trialcode | The name of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| trialnum | The number of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) trialnum is a built-in Inquisit variable; it counts all trials run even those that do not store data to the data file. |
| targetspeaker | The current speaker through which target is presented |
| volumeadjust | The current volume adjustment |
| speakerfixed | Determines whether to play the sound though a fixed speaker or randomly through either the left, the right, or both speakers. |
| maxtrialnumber | The number of valid trials in a block that should be run |
| stimDelay | The current delay (in ms) of the sound |
| stimulusItem | The presented stim (here the sound file) |
| response | The participant's response (scancode of response buttons) 57 = spacebar |
| correct | Accuracy of response 1 = correct response (response was made after sound was played) 0 = otherwise (= early response) |
| latency | The trial latency (in ms); measured from: onset of trial until response was made |
| rtStim | The time btw. onset of sound until response was made (in ms) |
| countEarlyResponses | Counts the number of times the spacebar was pressed before the sound was played (excludes first trial) |
| countValidTrials | Counts the number of times the spacebar was pressed after the sound was played (excludes first trial) |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Design |
||
| maxTrialNumber | Sets the number of valid trials that should be run in a block Notes b) early response trials are not considered valid and are repeated a) the first trial is considered 'practice' and does not count towards trialnumber) | 20 |
Sound Details |
||
| targetSpeaker | Sets the speaker through which the sound is presented Alternatives: -10000 (only through the left speaker) 10000 (only through the right speaker) | 0 |
| volumeAdjust | Sets a volume adjuster; -10000 sets it to silent, 0 makes no adjustments to the original sound | 0 |
| speakerfixed | Determines whether to play the sound though a fixed speaker or randomly through either the left, the right, or both speakers. | 0 |
| volumefixed | Determines whether to randomly adjust the volume of the sound or use a fixed volume (0 = fixed volume; 1 = random volume adjustment); default is 0 | 0 |
Colors |
||
| screenColor | Sets the background color of the screen | white |