Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Created: January 23, 2018
Last Modified: January 21, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements a basic coordinate plane task (Geary et al, 2015) - a measure of visual-spatial perception in which participants are presented coordinate points and asked to place them in a coordinate plane.
David C. Geary, Mary K. Hoard, Lara Nugent, Jeffrey N. Rouder (2015). Individual differences in algebraic cognition: Relation to the approximate number and semantic memory systems, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Volume 140, Pages 211-227, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2015.07.010.
8 minutes
Participants are presented coordinate points and are asked to place them in a provided coordinate plane. One practice trial is followed by 24 test trials. Feedback is optional (by default no feedback is provided).
1 practice trial: practice coordinates stored under list.targetCoordinates_x_practice/list.targetCoordinates_y_practice
- currently: participants have to place a dot before the continue button is activated
- onscreen instructions are optional (by default they are presented)
24 test trials: test coordinates stored under list.targetCoordinates_x/list.targetCoordinates_y
- the test coordinates are selected in sequence (same order for each participant)
- participants have to place a point before the continue button is activated
- intertrial interval (blank screen) of 500ms in between each new trial
based on Geary et al (2015) and extended by Millisecond
can be edited under section Editable Instructions
File Name: coordinateplanetask_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 |
| meanRT | Calculates the mean response time (in ms) to submit a response dot for test trials (measured from onset of problem until continue button is hit) |
| meanEUCEr | Mean Euklidian Distance Error |
| pquadCor | Percent of points placed in correct quadrant |
| meanPAE | Mean deviation for linearity of placed dots |
| meanPAEX | Mean deviation for linearity for x-coordinate of placed dots |
| meanPAEY | Mean deviation for linearity for y-coordinate of placed dots |
| meanPAEX1 | Mean deviation for linearity for x-coordinate for dots placed in correct quadrant |
| meanPAEY1 | Mean deviation for linearity for y-coordinate for dots placed in correct quadrant |
| meanEUCEr1 | Mean Euklidian Distance Error for dots placed in correct quadrant |
| meanPAEX0 | Mean deviation for linearity for x-coordinate for dots placed in incorrect quadrant |
| meanPAEY0 | Mean deviation for linearity for y-coordinate for dots placed in incorrect quadrant |
| meanEUCEr0 | Mean Euklidian Distance Error for dots placed in incorrect quadrant |
File Name: coordinateplanetask_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 |
| order | "p" for practice trial, 1-24 for test trials |
| stimuli | Stores the current point coordinate, e.g. (25, 35) |
| stimX | Stores the current x-coordinate of the to be placed point |
| stimY | Stores the current y-coordinate of the to be placed point |
| stimQuadrant | The quadrant the to be placed point is in 1 = top right quadrant (x > 0, y > 0) 2 = top left quadrant (x < 0, y > 0) 3 = bottom left quadrant (x < 0, y < 0) 4 = bottom right quadrant (x >0, y < 0) |
| respX | The x-coordinate of the response relative to the coordinate plane (with (0, 0) as the coordinate plane's origin) |
| respY | The y-coordinate of the response relative to the coordinate plane (with (0, 0) as the coordinate plane's origin) |
| responseQuadrant | The quadrant of the response point 1 = top right quadrant (x > 0, y > 0) 2 = top left quadrant (x < 0, y > 0) 3 = bottom left quadrant (x < 0, y < 0) 4 = bottom right quadrant (x > 0, y < 0) x-axis: dot was placed on x-axis y-axis: dot was placed on y-axis origin |
| respRT | Stores the time (in ms) spent on placing the current dot (measured from onset of coordinate plane until continue is pressed) |
| paeX | Deviation from linearity for placed x coordinate |
| paeY | Deviation from linearity for placed y coordinate |
| pae | Mean of PAE_X and PAE_Y for the current trial |
| quadCor | 1 = the response point was put in the correct quadrant; 0= otherwise |
| eucEr | Calculates the Euklidian Distance Error of the currently placed dot |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| dotSize | Canvas percentage size of the placed dot | 1% |
| widthOfAxis | Canvas percentage size of width of the axes | 0.25% |
| lengthOfAxis | Canvas percentage size of length of the axes | 80% |
| planeCenterX | The x coordinate (in canvas percentage) of the origin | 40% |
| iti | Intertrial interval in ms | 500ms |
| showPracticeFeedback | True = participants are given visual feedback in regard to their placement during the practice false = no feedback is provided to participants during the practice (default) | |
| showTestFeedback | True = participants are given visual feedback in regard to their placement during the he test false = no feedback is provided to participants during the test (default) | |
| skipInstructions | True = Script does not provide onscreen instructions to students false = Script provides instructions (default) |