Script Author: David Nitz (dave@millisecond.com), Millisecond., Jerry Grenard (grenard@ucla.edu), Sean Draine (seandr@millisecond.com)
Task Copyright © 2005 by Dr. Randall Engle (https://psychology.gatech.edu/renglelab/)
Last Modified: January 21, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements the Automated Operation Span Task (AOSPAN, Conway et al, 2005), a measure of working memory.
CONWAY, A.R.A., KANE, M.J.,BUNTING, M.F., D. ZACH HAMBRICK, D.Z., WILHELM, O., & ENGLE, R.W. (2005). Working memory span tasks: A methodological review and user’s guide. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 2005, 12 (5), 769-786.
20 minutes
Participants are presented a visual sequences of letters ranging from 3-7 letters (default) that need to be recalled at the end. Each letter in the sequence is preceded by a math problem ("(8*2) - 8 = ?") followed by a proposed solution ("e.g. 9") and participants have to decide whether the proposed solution is correct or not. Letter recall is tested by asking participants to selected letters from a provided letter matrix.
by setting parameters.debugMode = 1, the script runs in debug mode and presents the correct responses
1 Practice Session (default):
a) Practice of recalling sequences of letters of set sizes 2-3 in ascending order (4 trials)
b) Practice of math task (15 trials)
c) Combined practice of recalling sequence of letters (set size 2 only) and math problem: each letter is
preceded by a math problem (3 trials)
Letter recall is done by picking out letters from a provided letter matrix.
Test Session (default):
15 Trials (15 = 3 repetitions of 5 set sizes; order of set sizes is randomly determined):
Recalling sequences of letters (set size 3-7): each letter is preceded by a math problem;
Letter recall is done by picking out letters from a provided letter matrix.
Scoring:
The program reports five values at the conclusion of the experiment:
The first, OSPAN score, uses the traditional "absolute ospan" scoring method.
It is the sum of all perfectly recalled sets.
So, for example, if an individual recalled correctly 2 letters in a set size of 2,
3 letters in a set size of 3, and 3 letters in a set size of 4,
their OSPAN score would be 5 (2 + 3 + 0).
Total number correct is the total number of letters recalled in the correct position
(2 + 3 + 4 = 9 in the above example).
Math errors are reported as total number of errors,
accuracy errors where the subject solved the operation incorrectly,
and speed errors in which the subject ran out of time
in attempting to solve a given operation.
Letters: T, L, Q, N, F, H, Y, S, P, K, R, J
Math Problems (test): created on runtime; only math problems with a *true* result >= 0 are allowed in the task
see section Editable Instructions in script "automatedospan_instructions_inc.iqjs"
File Name: automatedospan_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 |
| ospan | The OSPAN score, uses the traditional "absolute ospan" scoring method. It is the sum of all perfectly recalled sets. So, for example, if an individual recalled correctly 2 letters in a set size of 2, 3 letters in a set size of 3, and 3 letters in a set size of 4, their OSPAN score would be 5 (2 + 3 + 0). |
| opcu | Partial credit unit for the ospan task number of correct recalled letters (in any position) relative to all presented letters |
| totalLetters | The total letter count (across all sets) |
| totalCorrectLettersAP | The total number of correct letters recalled in any position (AP) |
| totalCorrectLettersCP | The total number of correct letters recalled in the correct position (CP) |
| totalRecalledSets | The number of correctly recalled sets |
| mathTotalErrors | Counts number of any errors (speed or accuracy) made during math problems within the current block |
| mathSpeedErrors | Counts the number of times participant ran out of time when solving the math problems within the current block |
| mathAccErrors | Counts the number of times participant ran out of time when solving the math problems within the current block |
File Name: automatedospan_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. |
| response | The participant's response (scancode of response buttons) |
| correct | Accuracy of response: 1 = correct response; 0 = otherwise |
| latency | The response latency (in ms) |
| currentsetSize | The number of letters to recall for the current problem |
| text.letters.currentItem | The currently presented letter |
| mathProblemCount | Counts the number of math problems in a given block |
| text.mathProblem.currentItem | The currently presented math problem |
| mathtrueAnswer | The correct math answer |
| mathAnswer | The math response given |
| mathCorrect | 1 = correct math response 0 = incorrect math response |
| mathAccuracy | Percentage of correctly solved math problems within the current block |
| mathTotalErrors | Counts number of any errors (speed or accuracy) made during math problems within the current block |
| mathAccErrors | Counts the number of incorrectly solved math problems within the current block |
| mathSpeedErrors | Counts the number of times participant ran out of time when solving the math problems within the current block |
| mathTimeout | Duration (in ms) after which the math problem disappears (for test block: calculated for each participant based on average performance during practice) |
| presentedLetters | The presented letters in order |
| setLetterCount | The current letter count (for this set) |
| totalLetters | The total letter count (across all sets) |
| recalledLetters | The number of letters recalled of the current problem/set |
| totalCorrectLettersAP | The total number of correct letters recalled in any position (AP) |
| totalCorrectLettersCP | The total number of correct letters recalled in the correct position (CP) |
| totalRecalledSets | The number of correctly recalled sets |
| ospan | The OSPAN score, uses the traditional "absolute ospan" scoring method. It is the sum of all perfectly recalled sets. So, for example, if an individual recalled correctly 2 letters in a set size of 2, 3 letters in a set size of 3, and 3 letters in a set size of 4, their OSPAN score would be 5 (2 + 3 + 0). |
| opcu | Partial credit unit for the ospan task number of correct recalled letters (in any position) relative to all presented letters |
| trialCount | Trial counter (updated under trial 'letter_feedback') |
| recalledLettersPerTrial | The number of recalled letters for the current trial only (updated under trial 'letter_feedback') |
| recalledLettersAccPerTrial | Proportion correct recalled letters for the current trial only (updated under trial 'letter_feedback') |
| correctMathPerTrial | The number of correctly categorized math problems for the current trial only (updated under trial 'letter_feedback') |
| mathAccPerTrial | Proportion correctly categorized math problems for the current trial only (updated under trial 'letter_feedback') |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| learningInterval | Duration (in ms) of the letter presentation trials | 1000 |
| startMathTimeout | Start duration (in ms) of the math presentation trials the duration is adjusted for the test trials based on practice performance | 5000 |
| debugMode | 0 = testmode => no debug information is presented 1 = debugMode => debug information is presented on screen | 0 |