Millisecond Forums

For the pictures to show up, you need to define <picture> elements and include them in the '/ stimulustimes' of your <trial> elements. E.g.

<picture fcriticalleft>
/ items = ("fcritical.jpg")
/ position = (30%, 50%)
</picture>

<picture fcompassionateright>
/ items = ("fcompassionate.jpg")
/ position = (70%, 50%)
</picture>

<trial criticalleft>
/ stimulustimes = [0=focuspoint; 500=fcriticalleft, fcompassionateright ; 1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice = keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("a")
/ timeout = 10000
</trial>

Also make sure your picture files are located in the same folder as the script. To change the position of the dots (left and right), adjust the settings in the '/ position' attribute, e.g.

<text targetleft> 
/ items = ("          :          ")
/
position = (30%, 50%)
</text>

<text targetright> 
/ items = ("          ..          ")
/
position = (70%, 50%)
</text>

~Dave

Hi Dave,

We're so close, but the dots come over the faces so we tried to amend the timeout of the faces and the dots but errors are still coming up:

"stimulus sequence already defined" and "could not located element 1000"

Can you point us in the right direction again please :-)

 <text targetleft> 
/ items = ("          :          ")
/ position = (30%, 50%)
</text>

<text targetright> 
/ items = ("          ..          ")
/ position = (70%, 50%)
</text>

<text focuspoint> 
/ items = ("          +          ")
</text>

<picture fcriticalleft>
/ items = ("fcritical.jpg")
/ position = (30%, 50%)
</picture>

<picture fcriticalright>
/ items = ("fcritical.jpg")
/ position = (30%, 50%)
</picture>

<picture fcompassionright>
/ items = ("fcompassion.jpg")
/ position = (70%, 50%)
</picture>

<picture fcompassionleft>
/ items = ("fcompassion.jpg")
/ position = (70%, 50%)
</picture>

<page intro>
^^^Dot Probe Task
^^Welcome and thank you for participating in this task.
^^Welcome to the experiment.
</page>

<page task>
Dot Probe Task Instructions:^^
^^The trials in the following task will go as follows:

^1. Look at the fixation point " + "
^2. Then two pictures will flash on the screen.
^3. Then you will see either  :  or  .. 

^Your task is to indicate as quickly as possible if you saw  :  or  .. 

^Press the spacebar to START THE TRIAL
</page>

<page taskreminder>
Reminder: ^Your task is to indicate as quickly as possible if you saw  :  or  .. 
</page>

<page end>
The Dot Probe Task is now concluded.
^^This task illustrates the effect of attention on processing visual stimuli.
</page>

<instruct>
/ nextkey = (" ")
/ lastlabel = ("Press the spacebar to continue")
/ nextlabel = ("Press the spacebar to continue")
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 16pt)
</instruct>

<trial criticalleft> 
/ stimulustimes = [1=focuspoint; 500=fcriticalleft, fcompassionright]
/ timeout = 1000
/ stimulustimes = [1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice = keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("a")
</trial>

<trial criticalright> 
/ stimulustimes = [1=focuspoint; 500=fcompassionleft, fcriticalright]
/ timeout = 1000
/ stimulustimes = [1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice = keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("l")
</trial>

<trial compassionleft> 
/ stimulustimes = [1=focuspoint; 500=fcompassionleft, fcriticalright]
/ timeout = 1000
/ stimulustimes = [1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice = keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("a")
</trial>

<trial compassionright> 
/ stimulustimes = [1=focuspoint; 500=fcriticalleft, fcompassionright]
/ timeout = 1000
/ stimulustimes = [1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice = keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("l")
</trial>

<block critical>
/ trials = [1-2=noreplace(criticalleft, criticalright)]
</block>

<block compassion>
/ trials = [1-2=noreplace(compassionleft, compassionright)]
</block>

<expt>
/ preinstructions = (intro, task)
/ postinstructions = (end)
/ blocks = [1=critical; 2=compassion]
</expt>

<defaults>
/ fontstyle = ("Courier New", 16pt)
/ posttrialpause = 500
</defaults>

<trial criticalleft> 
/ stimulustimes = [1=focuspoint;
500=fcriticalleft, fcompassionright]
/ timeout = 1000
/
stimulustimes = [1000=targetleft, targetright]
/ inputdevice =
keyboard
/ validresponse =("a", "l")
/ correctresponse = ("a")
</trial>

Collapse the two stimulustimes attributes into one (in all your trials). You'll also want to review the '/ timeout' settings.

We tried putting the stimilustimes in one line. However this lead to the dots coming over the faces. We need the faces to flash up for 500 and then disappear, to be replaced by just one of the following:

: or ..

In half the trials we need the : or .. to be over the compassion face, the other half over the neutral

and at the same time we need half the time to have the : being the item that replaces the face, and the other half we need it to be ..

Does that make sense?!

So sorry to keep bugging you, but its nice to find someone who knows that they're talking about!

[Y]

Lucy and Shiv

For that read http://www.millisecond.com/support/docs/v2/html/howto/howtoerase.htm.

Already covered here http://www.millisecond.com/forums/Topic4675.aspx#4675. You need additional <trial> elements.

~Dave

Just following up here since you haven't reported back in a while: So, did you get things up and running or are you still experiencing issues or have aditional questions?

Best wishes,

~Dave

Hi Dave,

No we do still have difficulties. Is there any training we can go on to learn how to use Inquisit (not online based)? Our experiment is quite complicated and I think the only way we are going to get it is to have someone talk us through each stage. We have already had a meeting with a colleague who has helped but as her experiment is quite different to ours we still are stuck with certain aspects.

Lucy.

Hi Lucy,

sorry to hear that. As for getting up to speed with Inquisit (by self-study), I'd recommend:

(1) Spend time with the tutorials contained in the manual. Make sure you actually do them, instead of just reading through them.

(2) Ron Dotsch also has a great little tutorial available here: http://web.me.com/rdotsch/tutorials/inquisit/index.html.

(3) Download some of the less complicated scripts from the Inquisit Task Library and "reverse-engineer" them, i.e. follow through each segment of the code and try to figure out exactly what it does. Experiment a bit by altering the script and seeing the effect of your changes in action.

(4) Try to program your first task from scratch. The important thing here is to keep things simple untill you've got the basic concepts down.

Other, more general recommendations:

- Map out a *very* detailed description of the procedure you want to implement before doing any actual coding (flow charts can be helpful, too).

- Break down the general problem (your procedure) into smaller sub-problems. Solve each of the smaller problems by itself, then combine them.

-Related to the above:  Start small, scale up later.

I don't know if there's any face-to-face training available in your area. You might want to ask around in the circle of researchers you know, if there's anyone with some Inquisit experience available, who'd be able / willing to help you out.

If not, all I can do is try to walk you through the process via email or via the forum.

~Dave

Hi Dave,

Sean replied to a message where I requested Inquisit tutition. Since then I've had another go at the script and have kind of got it. I just have one more query. I have sent it to Sean but here it is, maybe you could help?

Thanks! :)

Lucy and Shiv wrote

to Lucy and Shiv, seandr

on 07-20-2010 10:10 AM

Basically where I've put

2000 =target1left; target1right; target2left; target2right]

I need it to be randomly one of those 4. whereas at the moment everytime it's coming up over the left face.

I've defined the dots in my picture stimuli file:

<text target1left>

/items = (" .. ")

/ position = (30%, 50%)

</text>

<text target1right>

/items = (" .. ")

/ position = (70%, 50%)

</text>

<text target2left>

/items = (" : ")

/ position = (30%, 50%)

</text>

<text target2right>

/items = (" : ")

/ position = (70%, 50%)

</text>

Hey y'all,

can you zip the whole thing up (main experiment file, pictures, include files, etc.) and attach it to this thread (see the 'Options' tab when posting a reply)?

~Dave