Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Credits:
Millisecond thanks Ben Walker for his help with this script!
Created: March 06, 2017
Last Modified: May 06, 2026 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements a computerized version of the Guilford's Alternative Uses Task, a test of creative thinking.
Guilford,J.P.(1967). Creativity: yesterday, today and tomorrow. J. Creat.Behav. 1, 3+14. doi:10.1002/j.2162-6057.1967.tb00002.x
10 minutes
Phase1: Participant are given 3 everyday objects (e.g. brick) and are asked to come up with as many creative uses for the current object as possible within 3 minutes (default). Phase2 (optional): Afterwards, the computer lists all provided uses for each object and participants are asked to select the top 2 uses for each. Responses are stored in the data file but need to be evaluated manually.
The task is divided into 2 phases:
1. Phase: Use-Generation for 3 items (default)
- order of the items is randomly determined (to change go to section LIST -> list.targetItemnumbers)
- responses are collected by a surveyPage that collects up to 30 responses
if more response boxes should be presented, go to section Editable Parameters
- the trial ends when the allotted time is up
- a timing clock is optional (by default, it is presented)
- a picture of the target is optional (by default, it is presented)
2. Phase (optional): ratings of uses
- order of items is the same as in Phase1
- all uses the participant generated in phase 1 are presented as a numbered list
- participants are asked to select the top 2 uses (by number)
- unlimited time
presentation of all the 'uses' depends on their number (50 and fewer are presented line-by-line;
more than 50 are separated by tabs instead). Fontsize is also adjusted based on number of items
that need to fit on the screen.
Furthermore:
- if participant entered more than 1 creative use for the object, two selections are required
- if participant entered only 1 creative use, it is automatically stored as the 'best use' (selection task is skipped)
- if participant entered no creative use, no selection is required (selection task is skipped)
computer ensures:
- no repeated selections are made
- the numbers entered are valid given the number of creative uses generated (e.g. if 5 uses are generated,
entering number 15 will not be valid)
target words are listed under section Editable Stimuli -> item.targets.
They can easily be exchanged for different words.
To remove or add target words follow instructions under section Editable Stimuli
in script 'alternativeusestask_stimuli_inc.iqjs'
instructions are not original To Guilford (1967). They can be edited under section Editable Instructions
in script 'alternativeusestask_instructions_inc.iqjs'
File Name: alternativeusestask_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 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 = Test was not completed 1 = Test was completed |
| timeLimit | The time allowance (in ms) for the generation of alternative uses per target word (default: 180000ms => 3 min) |
| responseRating | Optional phase 2 true (1) = participants are asked to select the top 2 uses (default) false (0) = participants are not asked to select the top 2 uses |
| totalSolutionCount | The number of provided solutions across all three items as a crude measure of fluency |
| target1 | Contains the first target word |
| countSolutions1 | Counts the number of solutions ('uses') for the first target |
| solutions1 | Stores all the provided solutions ('uses') for the first target |
| best1Target1 | Stores the item that was selected as the best use for target word 1 (if applicable) |
| best2Target1 | Stores the item that was selected as the second best use for target word 1 (if applicable) |
| target2 | Contains the second target word |
| countSolutions2 | Counts the number of solutions ('uses') for the second target |
| solutions2 | Stores all the provided solutions ('uses') for the second target |
| best1Target2 | Stores the item that was selected as the best use for target word 2 (if applicable) |
| best2Target2 | Stores the item that was selected as the second best use for target word 2 (if applicable) |
| target3 | Contains the third target word |
| countSolutions3 | Counts the number of solutions ('uses') for the third target |
| solutions3 | Stores all the provided solutions ('uses') for the third target |
| best1Target3 | Stores the item that was selected as the best use for target word 3 (if applicable) |
| best2Target3 | Stores the item that was selected as the second best use for target word 3 (if applicable) |
File Name: alternativeusestask_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. |
| countTargets | Keeps track of the number of target words presented |
| target | Contains the current target word |
| countPages | Keeps track of the number of surveyPages being presented for each target (30 textboxes per page) only relevant if unlimitedResponse = true |
| response | The participant's response for each textbox one by one |
| latency | The response latency (in ms) measured from onset of current surveyPage until 'continue button' is pressed |
| countSolutions | Counts the number of solutions ('uses') for the current target |
| solutions | Stores all the provided solutions ('uses') for the current target |
| validRatings | 1 = participant selected the correct number of 'best' uses (eg. if more than 1 uses have been provided, participant selects 2) AND participant entered valid list numbers (e.g. participant provided 10 uses, and entered number 2 and 8) 0 = participant did not select the correct number of 'best' uses (e.g. participant provided 10 uses and entered 1 'best' use only) OR participant did not enter valid list numbers (e.g. entered a 0) this is a helper variable to ensure that participants select valid input |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Design |
||
| responseRating | Optional phase 2 true (1) = participants are asked to select the top 2 uses (default) false (0) = participants are not asked to select the top 2 uses | true |
| showTimer | True (1) = a timer clock is presented for participants (default) false (0) = no timer clock is presented | true |
| showPics | True (1) = a picture of the target is presented together with the target word false (0) = no picture of the target is presented together with the target word | true |
| unLimitedResponses | True(1) = participants can fill out an unlimited amount of textboxes the program will simply provide additional surveyPages of 30 textboxes false(0) = the maximum number of textboxes per item is limited to 30 (default) | false |
Timing Parameters |
||
| timeLimit | The time allowance (in ms) for the generation of alternative uses per target word | 180000 |