Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Credits:
Millisecond thanks Dr. Richard Canfield for collaborating on this script and
Dr. Yi-Feng Wang et al for providing their original e-prime script!
Dr. Yi-Feng Wang et al for providing their original e-prime script!
Created: June 13, 2013
Last Modified: November 19, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements a modified version of the Attention Network Test (ANT), a behavioral measure of alerting, orienting and executive attention. The modified ANT procedure builds on the original ANT procedure by Fan et al (2002) and allows for detailed computing of the relationships amongst the three attention networks. The implemented procedure is based on Wang et al (2015).
Fan, J., McCandliss, B. D., Sommer, T., Raz, A., & Posner, M. I. (2002). Testing the efficiency and independence of attentional networks. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14, 340–347.
Yi-Feng Wang, Xiu-Juan Jing, Feng Liu, Mei-Ling Li, Zhi-Liang Long, Jin H. Yan & Hua-Fu Chen (2015). Reliable Attention Network Scores and Mutually Inhibited Internetwork Relationships Revealed by Mixed Design and Non-orthogonal Method. www.nature.com/scientificreports: Scientific Reports | 5:10251 | DOI: 10.1038/srep10251
35 minutes
Participants are presented 5 arrows either on, above or below a screen-centered fixation cross. Participants have to decide whether the center arrow points right or left. A cue '*' might alert participants that the targets/flankers are about to come on screen.
Block Sequence:
1 = generalInstructions; => present the general instructions
2 = antPractice; => runs the practice IF parameters.runPractice = true
3-8 = noreplace(A, O, E, AE, AO, OE); => run the 6 experimental blocks in randomized order
select the blocks that you would like to run under Editable Parameters
1. optional antPractice:
- run 20 trials (selection taken from Wang et al's e-prime script)
- order is randomized
2. A-Block: -> manipulates cueCondition (no cue vs. center cue) with fixed center position and congruent targets
- run 4 prefatory
- run 48 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 cueConditions x 2 target directions (points left vs. right) x 12 repetitions
3. O-Block: -> manipulates targetPosition (center target vs. spatial target) with fixed cue condition (no cue) and congruent targets
- run 4 prefatory
- run 48 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 targetPositions (center vs. not center (split into top/bottom)) x 2 target directions x 12 repetitions
4. E-Block: -> manipulates congruence (congruent targets vs. incongruent targets) with fixed cue condition (no cue) and fixed center position
- run 4 prefatory
- run 48 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 target congruence x 2 target directions x 12 repetitions
5. AO-Block: -> manipulates cueCondition and spatial condition (keep congruence fixed: only congruent targets)
- run 4 prefatory
- run 96 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 cueCondition x 2 spatial condition (center vs. not center (split into top/bottom)) x 2 target directions x 12 repetitions
6. AE-Block: -> manipulates cueCondition and target congruence (keep spatial position of target fixed: only center targets)
- run 4 prefatory
- run 96 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 cueCondition x 2 congruence x 2 target directions x 12 repetitions
7. OE-Block: -> manipulates spatial position and congruence (keep cue condition fixed: only no cue trials)
- run 4 prefatory
- run 96 trials (randomized trial order) = 2 congruence x 2 spatial condition (center vs. not center (split into top/bottom)) x 2 target directions x 12 repetitions
Trial Sequence:
Fixation Cross (400-1600ms)->Cue (100ms)-> Fixation(300ms)->targets/flankers (max: 1700ms)->iti (2600-target response latency)
Size of Stimuli:
Fine-tune size of stimuli, distance of flanker to target, and position of target above and below
fixation cross under section EDITABLE PARAMETERS
Instructions are modelled after the instructions generously made available by
Wang et al's original e-prime version (slightly edited)
See section script ant_wang_instructions_inc.iqjs
File Name: ant_wang_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 |
| meanRT | Overall mean correct response latency (in ms) |
| sd | Overall standard deviation of correct response latencies (in ms) |
| aMeanRTCC | Mean latency (in ms) to center cue trials in A block |
| aMeanRTNC | Mean latency (in ms) to no cue trials in A block |
| oMeanRTNT | Mean latency (in ms) to center target trials in O block |
| oMeanRTST | Mean latency (in ms) to spatial target trials in O block |
| eMeanRTCO | Mean latency (in ms) to congruent trials in E block |
| eMeanRTICO | Mean latency (in ms) to incongruent trials in E block |
| aoMeanRTCCCT | Mean latency (in ms) to center cues followed by center targets in AO block |
| aoMeanRTCCST | Mean latency (in ms) to center cues followed by spatial targets in AO block |
| aoMeanRTNCCT | Mean latency (in ms) to no cues followed by center targets in AO block |
| aoMeanRTNCST | Mean latency (in ms) to no cues followed by spatial targets in AO block |
| aeMeanRTCCCO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to center cues followed by congruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aeMeanRTCCICO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to center cues followed by incongruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aeMeanRTNCCO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to no cues followed by congruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aeMeanRTNCICO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to center cues followed by incongruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| oeMeanRTCTCO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to congruent center targets in OE block |
| oeMeanRTCTICO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to incongruent center targets in OE block |
| oeMeanRTSTCO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to congruent spatial targets in OE block |
| oeMeanRTSTICO | Mean correct latency (in ms) to incongruent spatial targets in OE block |
| aRT | Alerting Effect (latency based) |
| oRT | Orienting Effect (latency based) |
| eRT | Executive Control Effect (latency based) |
| aoRT | Influence of alerting on orienting (latency based) |
| oaRT | Influence of orienting on alerting (latency based) |
| aeRT | Influence of alerting on executive control (latency based) |
| eaRT | Influence of executive control on alerting (latency based) |
| oeRT | Influence of orienting on executive control (latency based) |
| eoRT | Influence of executive control on orienting (latency based) In the network effect equations, a negative effect denoted beneficial in RT, whereas a positive effect represented cost in RT. (see Wang et al, 2015, p.9) |
| aPropCorrectCC | Proportion correct responses to center cue trials in A block |
| aPropCorrectNC | Proportion correct responses to no cue trials in A block |
| oPropCorrectNT | Proportion correct responses to center target trials in O block |
| oPropCorrectST | Proportion correct responses to spatial target trials in O block |
| ePropCorrectCO | Proportion correct responses to congruent trials in E block |
| ePropCorrectICO | Proportion correct responses to incongruent trials in E block |
| aoPropCorrectCCCT | Proportion correct responses to center cues followed by center targets in AO block |
| aoPropCorrectCCST | Proportion correct responses to center cues followed by spatial targets in AO block |
| aoPropCorrectNCCT | Proportion correct responses to no cues followed by center targets in AO block |
| aoPropCorrectNCST | Proportion correct responses to no cues followed by spatial targets in AO block |
| aePropCorrectCCCO | Proportion correct responses to center cues followed by congruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aePropCorrectCCICO | Proportion correct responses to center cues followed by incongruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aePropCorrectNCCO | Proportion correct responses to no cues followed by congruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| aePropCorrectNCICO | Proportion correct responses to center cues followed by incongruent flanker/targets in AE block |
| oePropCorrectCTCO | Proportion correct responses to congruent center targets in OE block |
| oePropCorrectCTICO | Proportion correct responses to incongruent center targets in OE block |
| oePropCorrectSTCO | Proportion correct responses to congruent spatial targets in OE block |
| oePropCorrectSTICO | Proportion correct responses to incongruent spatial targets in OE block |
| aAcc | Alerting Effect (accuracy based) |
| oAcc | Orienting Effect (accuracy based) |
| eAcc | Executive Control Effect (accuracy based) |
| aoAcc | Influence of alerting on orienting (accuracy based) |
| oaAcc | Influence of orienting on alerting (accuracy based) |
| aeAcc | Influence of alerting on executive control (accuracy based) |
| eaAcc | Influence of executive control on alerting (accuracy based) |
| oeAcc | Influence of orienting on executive control (accuracy based) |
| eoAcc | Influence of executive control on orienting (accuracy based) |
File Name: ant_wang_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 |
| blockCount | Counts the number of experimental blocks run |
| blockCode | Name of the current block |
| trialCount | Counts the number of trials run (resets after practice) |
| trialCode | Name of the current trial |
| prefatory | 1 = prefatory trial (not counted towards summary data); 0 = not a prefatory trial |
| fixation1Duration | The duration (in ms) of the starting fixation cross in each trial |
| cueCondition | Sets the current cue condition (1 = no cue; 2 = center cue) |
| congruence | 1 = congruent target; 2 = incongruent target (flanker and target point in opposite directions) |
| targetPosition | Sets position of target (0 = center position; 1 = above fixation; 2 = below fixation) |
| targetDirection | Sets the direction of the target (0 = right; 1 = left) |
| picture.flanker1.currentItem | The current picture presented as the left flanker |
| picture.flanker2.currentItem | The current picture presented as the center-left flanker |
| picture.target.currentItem | The current picture presented as the center target |
| picture.flanker3.currentItem | The current picture presented as the center-right flanker |
| picture.flanker4.currentItem | The current picture presented as the right flanker |
| targetY | The vertical percentage coordinate of the target (Top = 0% - Bottom = 100%) |
| flanker1Y | The vertical percentage coordinate of the flankers |
| cue1Y | The vertical percentage coordinate of the cues |
| response | The response of participant (scancode of response button: 30 = left A; 38 = right L; 57 = spacebar) |
| correct | Correctness of response (1 = correct, 0 = error) |
| latency | Response latency (in ms); measured from onset of target until response is made or trial times out |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Design Parameters |
||
| runPractice | 1 (true) = the practice session is run (default) 0 (false) = no practice session is run | true |
| runA | 1 (true) = block A is run (default) 0 (false) = no block A is run | true |
| runE | 1 (true) = block E is run (default) 0 (false) = no block E is run | true |
| runO | 1 (true) = block O is run (default) 0 (false) = no block O is run | true |
| runAO | 1 (true) = block AO is run (default) 0 (false) = no block AO is run | true |
| runAE | 1 (true) = block AE is run (default) 0 (false) = no block AE is run | true |
| runOE | 1 (true) = block OE is run (default) 0 (false) = no block OE is run | true |
Sizing Parameters |
||
| fontSizeFixation | Regulates the size of the fixation cross, in canvas height percentage | 5% |
| cueSize | Regulates the size of the cues, in canvas height percentage | 5% |
| arrowSize | Regulates the size of the target/flanker, in canvas height percentage | 6% |
| flankerDistance | The relative screen distance between stimuli, in canvas width percentage | 7% |
| topY | The y-coordinate of the target above the fixation cross | 45% |
| bottomY | The y-coordinate of the target below the fixation cross | 55% |
Duration Parameters |
||
| cueDuration | Sets the duration (in ms) of the cue presentation | 100 |
| fixation2Duration | Sets the duration (in ms) of the fixation cross after cue presentation | 300 |
| targetDuration | Sets the maximal duration (in ms) of the target/flanker presentation | 1700 |
| fixation3Duration | Sets the max.duration (in ms) of the fixation cross presented after the target disappears the duration is adjusted during runtime | 2600 |
| practiceFeedbackDuration | The duration (in ms) of the feedback stimuli presented for practice trials | 500 |
Response Keys |
||
| responseKeyLeft | The left response key | "A" |
| responseKeyRight | The right response key | "L" |