User Manual: Inquisit Sternberg Memory Task

															
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									*STERNBERG MEMORY TASK*
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last updated:  10-16-2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC

Script Copyright © 10-16-2023 Millisecond Software

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BACKGROUND INFO 	
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This script implements the classic Sternberg Memory Task paradigm to test working memory with strings of digits.

Reference:
Sternberg, S. (1966). High speed scanning in human memory. Science, 153, 652-654.

Note: script tests set sizes of 2-7 (see list.setsize)

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TASK DESCRIPTION	
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Participants are given a series of digits (2-7 digits long) before being prompted with a digit
that was either part of the series (IN) or not (OUT). Participants have to decide
whether the probe was IN or OUT by pressing 2 different keys on the keyboard.

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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: 'sternbergmemorytask_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.

response:						the participant's response (scancode of response button)
								33 = f
								36 = j
										
responseCategory:				the interpreted key response: "in" vs. "out"
										
correct:						the correctness of the response (1 = correct; 0 = incorrect)
latency: 						the response latency (in ms); measured from onset of target digit

setsize:						the currently tested set size

first-
seventh:						contain digit1 to digit7 (depends on current set size)

target:							stores the currently presented target

stimulusitem:					the currently presented trial stimulus

individual counts per set sizes:
count2/countcorrect2,
count3/countcorrect3,
count4/countcorrect4,
count5/countcorrect5,
count6/countcorrect6,
count7/countcorrect7

(2) Summary data file: 'sternbergmemorytask_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)
									
propcorrect2-
propcorrect7:					proportion correct responses by setsize

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EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP 
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1 Testblock with 18 trials: 3 repetitions of setsizes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
* set sizes randomly selected
* 9 trials are randomly selected to be in-trials (the probe digit was part of the list) and 
9 trials are selected to be out trials (the probe digit was not part of the list)

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INSTRUCTIONS 
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see section 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:

learninginterval:			interstimulusinterval (in ms), how fast a new letter is presented					
probepause:					pause (in ms) before probe is presented