Auditory Verbal Learning Task with Immediate and Delayed Written Recall - AVLT - Form 1

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 17, 2022

Last Modified: January 26, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements an Inquisit version of the Modified Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (ModRey) by Hale et al (2019). The ModRey is a test of episodic memory performance in non-clinical and pre-clinical populations. It differs from the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) by increasing its difficulty. Specifically the authors a) increased the number of items for the target and distractor lists from from 15 to 20 b) decreased the number of learning trials from 5 to 3 c) added an additional free recall trial of distractor list d) added a source memory task

The original ModRey presents the words orally and collects oral responses. This Inquisit implementation provides the option to choose whether to present the words only orally, only visually or both at the same time. By default, the words are presented only visually. Recall responses are always collected in written format (via textboxes). Recognition and Source Responses (part2) are collected via keyboard input.

!Note: Millisecond also offers an alternative implementation of the Modrey with oral recall input. Verbal recall in those scripts is captured as soundcaptures that have to be scored manually.

References

Adjustments to z-scores as described by: Gregg, A. & Sedikides, C. (2010). Narcissistic Fragility: Rethinking Its Links to Explicit and Implicit Self-esteem, Self and Identity, 9:2, 142-161 (p.148)

References

Hale C, Last BS, Meier IB, Yeung LK, Budge M, Sloan RP, Small SA, Brickman AM. The ModRey: An Episodic Memory Test for Nonclinical and Preclinical Populations. Assessment. 2019 Sep;26(6):1154-1161. doi: 10.1177/1073191117723113. Epub 2017 Aug 11. PMID: 28799411; PMCID: PMC5829025.

Gregg, A. & Sedikides, C. (2010). Narcissistic Fragility: Rethinking Its Links to Explicit and Implicit Self-esteem, Self and Identity, 9:2, 142-161 (p.148)

Duration

1 3/4-

Description

This script implements a batch script. It calls

- Script modrey_writtenrecall_part1.iqjs - Script modrey_writtenrecall_part2.iqjs

In this fixed order and transfers summary data from part1 to part2 automatically. Note that scripts 'modrey_writtenrecall_part1.iqjs' and 'modrey_writtenrecall_part2.iqjs' can also be run outside this batch script. However, in that case, no summary data transfer from part1 to part2 will take place.

Add any number of Inquisit scripts in between the two parts to fill the recommended delay of 1.5h. (see for additional information below under element batch.main)

Script Modrey_Written Recall_Part1.Iqjs:

(1) Learning Phase With Immediate Recall:

(2) Introduction Of Distractor List:

(3) Short Delay

(4) Free Recall Of List A:

------------------End of part1----------------------------------------

(5) Delay: 1.5H

Script Modrey_Writtenrecall_Part2.Iqjs:

(6) Delayed Recall Of List A

(7) Delayed Recall Of List B

(8) Recognition Test (List A) - 66 Trials

(9) Source Test:

Procedure

(I) 3 blocks: List Learning/Recall Task with list A (IR1-IR3)
- the words are presented with a 2s SOA (editable)
- the order of the words is predetermined and the same across all 3 blocks
- at the end a textbox appears and prompts participants to enter all the words they remember (self-paced)

Recall Task: Scoring Algorithms
Algorithm to estimate number of recalled words:
In general this algorithm uses the number of a specific word separator (here: comma)
to estimate the number of words in between the separators: estimated word count = number of separators + 1
The algorithm uses several steps to clean up the text input to ensure as much as
possible that only single commas are used as word separators. It also removes
trailing commas from the input if necessary.

Steps:
(1) textbox response is stored in values.Recall (Example: values.Recall = "bed; chair; table")
(note: there is a space AND a ; after bed and chair)

(2) values.Recall replaces 7 types of possible word separator symbols (e.g. ";", " ") with a comma
(Example: values.Recall = "bed,,chair,,table")

(3) values.Recall adds a comma to the first item
(Example: values.Recall = ",bed,,chair,,table")

(3) values.Recall replaces all consecutive commas with a single comma
(Example: values.Recall = ",bed,chair,table")

(4) if values.Recall does not end in a comma at this point, this comma is added
(Example: values.Recall = ",bed,chair,table,")

(5) the length of the variable values.Recall is stored in variable values.recallLength
(Example: values.recallLength = 17)

(6) a second variable (values.reducedRecall) deletes all commas in values.Recall
(Example: values.reducedRecall = "bedchairtable" => length: 13)

(7) the word count estimate = length of values.Recall* - length of values.reducedRecall - 1 (extra comma)
(Example: estimate = 17 - 13 - 1 = 3)
•with length = number of characters

the recall scoring algorithms implemented in this script depend on participants
(a) using the implemented separators
(b) make no spelling mistakes
(c) don't use phonetically similar words (e.g. pain instead of pane)
Manual checks of the raw data might be necessary to adjust the scores (see values.intrusionOther)

(II) 1 block: List Learning/Recall Task with list B (IR_listB)
- the words are presented with a 2s SOA
- the order of the words is predetermined and the same across all 3 blocks
- at the end a textbox appears and prompts participants to enter all the words they remember (self-paced)

(III) 1 block (after delay): Free Recall Task with list A (SDFR)
- enter words into a textbox (self-paced)

Stimuli

uses the words of the ModRey (Hale et al, 2019)
(words were pronounced with Google Translate and saved as .wav files)

Groupnumber 1 (odd) - Runs version1 stimuli (see modrey_items_form1.iqjs)
Groupnumber 2 (even) - runs version2 stimuli (see modrey_items_form2.iqjs)
uses the words of the ModRey (Hale et al, 2019)
(words were pronounced with Google Translate and saved as .wav files)

can be run with version1 stimuli (see modrey_items_form1.iqjs)
can be run with version2 stimuli (see modrey_items_form2.iqjs)

Instructions

are provided by Millisecond - can be edited in the individual scripts
are provided by Millisecond - see script "modrey_writtenrecall_part1_instructions_inc.iqjs"
are provided by Millisecond - see script "modrey_writtenrecall_part2_instructions_inc.iqjs"

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.