Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Created: January 27, 2017
Last Modified: January 09, 2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements an emotion dotprobe procedure to measure attentional bias towards emotion words from different categories.
The implemented procedure is based on:
Tina M. Sutton & Jeanette Altarriba (2011). The automatic activation and perception of emotion in word processing: Evidence from a modified dot probe paradigm. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 23:6, 736-747, DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2011.554392
2 minutes
Participants are presented word pairs consisting of one emotion word and one control word flashed onto the screen to the left (top) or right (bottom) of a center fixation cross for a short duration. The word pairs are immediately followed by the letter 'R' or 'P'(= the probe). The probe is presented either in the location of the emotion word or in the location of the control word. Participants are asked to press one key (R) when the probe is an R and another key (P) if the probe is a P.
2 emotions x 2 probe congruences are tested in a mixed design (emotions are blocked)
The order of the 'positive' and 'negative' blocks is counterbalanced by groupnumber.
Odd groupnumbers run order "Negative -> Positive"
Even groupnumbers run order "Positive -> Negative"
Practice Block:
• Each test block is preceded by a practice block that presents 6 practice trials to adjust to the task.
• In this script practice trials will turn into test trials without further interruption.
• word pairs are fixed but presented in random order
• locations of words is selected randomly with replacement
• location of probe is selected randomly with replacement
• 50% of the probes during practice trials are randomly selected to be probe1 (R)
Test Block:
• 14 trials
• word pairs are fixed but presented in random order
• 50% of the probes in each test block are randomly selected to be probe1 (R)
• 50% of the test trials in each block present congruent probes (sit in place of emotion words)
across both test blocks (see Sutton & Altarriba, 2011, p.741):
• the emotion word (EW) is located on the left(above) half the time (and half of the left EW are followed by a probe)
this script balances congruence x EWlocation across the two test blocks (due to the number of trials it's not
possible to achieve balance within one test block). If the number of trials per block is changed to 16 (for example),
complete balancing across 1 block would be possible.
Trial Sequence:
Fixation (default: 500ms) -> Word Pair (default: 180ms) -> Mask (optional, default: 0ms)-> Probe (until response)->errorfeedback for 500ms (if incorrect response))
if no response occurrs within 2000ms, a response reminder is flashed onto the screen.
emotion and control words for the test blocks are taken from Sutton & Altarriba (2011).
Negative words were paired with words from category "sports equipment" in a pseudo-random way,
while trying to match the wordlength of each pair.
Positive words were paired with words from category "animals" in a pseudo-random way,
while trying to match the wordlength of each pair.
Practice words were added by Millisecond
(negative words paired with fruits, positive words paired with furniture).
All words can be changed under section Editable Stimuli.
Words are presented white on a black background with font Arial.
To change sizing in screen locations, check section Editable Parameters.
provided by Millisecond - can be edited under section Editable Instructions
File Name: emotiondotprobe_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 |
Task Parameters |
|
| horizontalPresentation | True (1) = the words will be presented left and right next to the fixation cross (default) false (0) = the words will be presented on top and bottom of the fixation cross => vertical presentation |
| conditionOrder | The order in which the emotion blocks are run "negative -> positive" (odd groupnumbers); "positive -> negative" (odd groupnumbers) |
Summary Variables |
|
| propCorrectNegEWCongruent | Proportion correct responses for negative words when the probe was presented in Position |
| propCorrectNegEWIncongruent | Proportion correct responses for negative words when the probe was presented in CTRL Position |
| propCorrectPosEWCongruent | Proportion correct responses for positive words when the probe was presented in Position |
| propCorrectPosEWIncongruent | Proportion correct responses for positive words when the probe was presented in CTRL Position |
| meanRTNegEWCongruent | Mean latency (in ms) of correct responses for negative words when the probe was presented in Position |
| meanRTNegEWIncongruent | Mean latency (in ms) of correct responses for negative words when the probe was presented in CTRL Position |
| abNegative | AB = Attentional Bias Measure positive value = (Attentional) Focus towards Negative Words negative value = Avoidance of Negative Words |
| meanRTPosEWCongruent | Mean latency (in ms) of correct responses for positive words when the probe was presented in Position |
| meanRTPosEWIncongruent | Mean latency (in ms) of correct responses for positive words when the probe was presented in CTRL Position |
| abPositive | AB = Attentional Bias Measure positive value = Focus (Attentional Bias) towards Positive Words negative value = Avoidance of Positive Words |
File Name: emotiondotprobe_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 |
Parameter Values |
|
| horizontalPresentation | True (1) = the words will be presented left and right next to the fixation cross (default) false (0) = the words will be presented on top and bottom of the fixation cross => vertical presentation |
| conditionOrder | The order in which the emotion blocks are run "negative -> positive" (odd groupnumbers); "positive -> negative" (odd groupnumbers) |
Performance Metrics |
|
| valence | "negative" vs. "positive" |
| ctrl | Stores the current control word (CTRL) |
| ctrlX | The assigned x-coordinate for control words |
| ctrlY | The assigned y-coordinate for control words |
| ew | Stores the current emotion word (EW) |
| ewLocation | 1 = left (top); 2 = right (bottom) |
| ewX | The assigned x-coordinate for EW words |
| ewY | The assigned y-coordinate for EW words |
| probe | Stores the current probe letter |
| probeLocation | 1 = left (top); 2 = right (bottom) |
| probeX | The assigned x-coordinate for the probe letter |
| probeY | The assigned y-coordinate for the probe letter |
| congruence | 1 = probe sits in EW position; 0 = probe sits in CTRL position |
| response | The participant's response (scancode of response button) 19 = R 25 = P |
| correct | Accuracy of response: 1 = correct response; 0 = otherwise |
| latency | The response latency (in ms); measured from: onset of probe |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| runMask | True (1) = the script will mask ("XXXXX") the emotion and control words false (0) = the script will not mask the emotion and control words (default) | |
| horizontalPresentation | True (1) = the words will be presented left and right next to the fixation cross (default) false (0) = the words will be presented on top and bottom of the fixation cross => vertical presentation | |
| fixationDuration | The duration (in ms) of the fixation cross at the start of trial | 500ms |
| wordPresentationDuration | The duration (in ms) of the word presentations | 180ms |
| maskDuration | The duration (in ms) of the mask (if runMask = true) Sutton & Altarriba (2011, Experiment1): word presentation for 30ms and mask for 150ms | 0 |
| iti | The intertrial interval (in ms) | 0ms |
| readyDuration | Duration (in ms) of the 'get ready' trial | 5000ms |
| reminderOnset | Onset (in ms) of reminder after probe has appeared on screen | 2000ms after onset of probe |
| probe1ResponseKey | The response key for probe 1 | "R", left response key |
| probe1 | Probe 1 | R |
| probe2ResponseKey | The response key for probe 2 | "P", right response key |
| probe2 | Probe 2 interface Sutton & Altarriba (2011, p. 741) "The more central edge of each word appeared at 1.5degree and the distal edge at a maximum of 5degree of visual angle from fixation." Due to different monitor sizing, final positioning of the words is left open and can be easily changed by changing the coordinate values below. | P |
| fixationSize | The proportional size of the fixation cross to canvas height | 8% |
| wordSize | The proportional size of the words to canvas height | 8% |
| leftX | The left coordinate of the words (if horizontal presentation) | 25% |
| rightX | The right coordinate of the words (if horizontal presentation) | 75% |
| topY | The top coordinate of the words (if vertical presentation) | 25% |
| bottomY | The bottom coordinate of the words (if vertical presentation) Note - for horizontal presentations, the y-coordinate is automatically set to 50%. - for vertical presentations, the x-coordinate is automatically set to 50%. | 25% |