Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Credits:
Millisecond thanks Ben Walker for his help with this script!
Created: January 06, 2017
Last Modified: January 18, 2025 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.
instructions are not original To Guilford (1967). They can be edited under section Editable Instructions.
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 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| timeLimit | The time allowance (in ms) for the generation of alternative uses per target word | 180000 |
| 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 |