Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Last Modified: January 12, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script runs a simple visual reaction time task similar to the one described by:
Wilkinson, R. T., & Houghton, D. (1982). Field test of arousal: A portable reaction timer with data storage. Human Factors, 24, 487-493.
10 minutes
Participant are asked to press the SPACEBAR as soon as they see a red circle appearing on screen. Afterwards, their reaction is displayed for 0.5s (editable). The test is timed and stops after 10min (editable). Mean and Median latency, latency standard deviation as well as minimum latency and maximum latency are recorded in the summary data file.
(a) By default, the target stimulus appears in the center of the screen. Changes can be made under
"Editable Parameters", including changing the script so that the target stimuli appear randomly in one of 9 screen positions.
(b) By default, the time intervals are randomly chosen (with replacement) from 1000ms, 2000ms, 3000ms, 4000ms, 5000ms, 6000ms, 7000ms, 8000ms, 9000ms, 10000ms
Changes can easily be made under "Editable Lists"
(c) By default, the test runs for 10 Minutes. Changes can be made under "Editable Parameters -> parameters.testduration"
(d) By default, the color of the circle is red. Changes can be made under "Editable Parameters"
Procedure:
Task starts with the presentation of a red circle (this response latency not considered for summary statistics).
Immediately after the left or right mouse button response, the next trial starts randomly selecting one of the
10 possible stimintervals.
If a response is made prior to the appearance of the red circle, the trial terminates and a new trial starts.
The number of early responses are counted.
The instructions can be easily changed under "Editable Instructions"
in script "perceptualvigilancetest_keyboard_instructions_inc.iqjs"
File Name: perceptualvigilancetask_keyboard_summary*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| inquisit.version | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| 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 |
| parameters- testduration | Duration of test: recommended minimum time is 600000ms => 10 min |
| parameters- targetcolor | The current color of the target circle |
| parameters- targetsize | The current color of the target circle |
| parameters- fixed | 1= fixed position of target; 0 = random position of target |
| parameters- targetx | The x-coordinate of the target circle |
| parameters- targety | The y-coordinate of the target circle |
| countEarlyResponses | Count of all early responses |
| countResponses | Running count of the number of responses made (includes early responses but excludes the first response made) |
| proportionEarlyResponses | Proportion early responses (in relation to total number of responses made) latency data is based on valid responses only (excludes early responding) |
| meanRT | Mean response latency in ms (for trials that were responded to) |
| std | Standard deviation of the response latencies (for trials that were responded to) |
| medianRT | Median latency in ms (for trials that were responded to) |
| minRT | Minimum response latency (in ms) |
| maxRT | Maximum response latency (in ms) |
File Name: perceptualvigilancetask_keyboard_raw*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| build | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| date | Date the session was run |
| time | Time the session was run |
| subject | Participant ID |
| group | Group number |
| session | Session number |
| blockCode | Name of the current block |
| blockNum | Number of the current block |
| trialCode | Name of the current trial |
| trialNum | Number of the current trial |
| parameters- testduration | Duration of test: recommended minimum time is 600000ms => 10 min |
| parameters- targetcolor | The current color of the target circle |
| parameters- targetsize | The current color of the target circle |
| parameters- fixed | 1= fixed position of target; 0 = random position of target |
| parameters- targetx | The x-coordinate of the target circle |
| parameters- targety | The y-coordinate of the target circle |
| stimInterval | Determines how long the focus stimulus is shown before the target stimulus is presented |
| trialStart | Script.elapsedTime (in ms) at start of trial (script.elapsedTime measured from start of script) |
| response | The scancode of the key pressed (here: 57 = spacebar) |
| latency | Response time (in ms); measured from start of trial (NOT CIRCLE) shape.targetCircle.stimulusOnset: the trial timestamp of the presented target circle |
| rt | Stores the current response latency (in ms) calculated as the difference of (latency - shape.targetcircle.stimulusOnset) if response was made BEFORE onset of circle Latency = "early response" |
| earlyResponse | 1 = the response was given before the circle appeared 0 = the response was given after the circle appeared |
| countEarlyResponses | Count of all early responses |
| countResponses | Running count of the number of responses made (includes early responses but excludes the first response made) |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| targetColor | Sets the color of the circle; the default is red | |
| targetSize | Sets the size of the circle; the default is 10% of the vertical screen | |
| targetx | Sets the x-coordinate of the target circle ; the default is the center (50%) | |
| targety | Sets the y-coordinate of the target circle , the default is the center (50%) | |
| feedbackHeight | Height of feedback text stimulus (relative to canvas height) | 5% |
| fixed | Determines whether to use the fixed coordinates for the target stimulus (= 1) or to select randomly from 9 different screen positions (= 0) default is 1 (= fixed position) | |
| testDuration | Duration of test: recommended minimum time is 600000ms => 10 min | |
| presentTrialFeedback | True = after each trial the response latency is reported (default) false = no trial response latencies are reported | |
| rtFeedbackDuration | Duration of feedback feedback duration is counted towards taskduration | 500ms |