Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Credits:
https://gorilla.sc/openmaterials/104636
Created: January 19, 2021
Last Modified: March 31, 2026 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements a Dichotic Listening Task similar to the one used by the Behavioural Laterality Battery (Parker et al, 2020). This task assesses the lateralisation of language processing.
Adam J. Parker , Zoe V. J. Woodhead , Paul A. Thompson & Dorothy V. M. Bishop (2020): Assessing the reliability of an online behavioural laterality battery: A pre-registered study, Laterality, DOI: 10.1080/1357650X.2020.1859526 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/1357650X.2020.1859526
Bless, J. J., Westerhausen, R., Arciuli, J., Kompus, K., Gudmundsen, M., & Hugdahl, K. (2013). Right on all Occasions?” – On the Feasibility of Laterality Research Using a Smartphone Dichotic Listening Application. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 42. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00042
Hugdahl, K., & Andersson, L. (1986). The “Forced-Attention Paradigm” in Dichotic Listening to CV-Syllables: A Comparison Between Adults and Children. Cortex, 22, 417-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-9452(86)80005-3
5 minutes
Participants hear two syllables (selected from: ba, da, ga, ka, pa, ta) through their left and right ear and are asked to indicate which syllable their heard best.
(1) Intro + Demo
- all 6 mono sounds are introduced, order is determined randomly
- each sound can be played multiple times
(2) Practice: 9 trials
- all 6 mono sounds + (da-ba, ga-ta, ka-pa); order is randomly determined
=> each sound is played equally often during practice
(3) 4 test blocks (see Editable Parameters) of 36 trials
- order of trials is randomly determined for each block
the stimuli are provided by the Behavioural Laterality Battery (Parker et al 2020)
and can be downloaded at:
https://osf.io/4bqe6/
if used, please cite reference articles for Dichotic Listening Task as given above.
provided by Millisecond. The instructions are based on the ones used by
the Behavioural Laterality Battery (Parker et al 2020).
The instructions can edited in the provided htm-files.
File Name: blb_dichoticlistening_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 |
| propCorrect | Overall proportion correct (correct identification of one of the syllables) |
| propCorrectMono | Proportion correct trials in which the syllables were the same |
| countMono | Number of trials in which the syllables were the same |
| propCorrectDual | Proportion correct trials in which the syllables were different |
| countDual | Number of trials in which the syllables were different |
| countCorrLeft | Number of correct 'dual' trials in which the selected syllable was the left one |
| countCorrRight | Number of correct 'dual' trials in which the selected syllable was the right one |
| li | Lateralization Index = ((L-R)/(L+R))*100 => positive: left ear advantage => negative: right ear advantage |
| rPoc | Right Proportion Correct (alternative measure to li) proportion of correct dual trials in which participants selected the RIGHT syllable |
File Name: blb_dichoticlistening_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. |
| index | The currently selected itemnumber of the presented image 0-based selection (first item has index = 0) |
| soundFile | The selected soundfile |
| leftSound | The sound played through the left ear |
| rightSound | The sound played through the right ear |
| dualSound | 1 = the left sound is different than the right sound 0 = the same sound is played in both ears |
| response | The participant's response (selected response button) |
| choice | Left/right/other (= the selected ear; if an incorrect sound was selected it says 'other') (in case of mono sounds: if the correct sound was selected it will always say 'left') |
| correct | Accuracy of response 1 = correct response (either the left or right sound was selected) 0 = otherwise (a different sound was selected) |
| latency | The response latency (in ms); measured from: onset of sound the soundfiles are ~500ms long. Any latencies smaller than that => participant responded before the entire soundfile was played |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| fixationHeight | The proportional height of the fixation cross | 10% |
| fixationDuration | The duration (in ms) of the fixation cross | 500 |
| numberTestBlocks | The number of test blocks to run ( each test block runs 36 trials) | 4 |