Script Author: David Nitz (dave@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Last Modified: January 06, 2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements the Running Memory Span Task, a measure of working memory.
The implemented procedure is based on:
Broadway, J. M., & Engle, R. W. (2010). Validating Running Memory Span: Measurement of working memory capacity and links with fluid intelligence. Behavior Research Methods, 42 (2), 563-570.
Task Copyright (c) 2010 by Jim Broadway and Randall Engle (https://psychology.gatech.edu/renglelab/)
8 minutes
Participants are presented a series of letters of varying length (3-8) and when prompted have to report the last N items (3-6) of the list (they do not know N until they are prompted). The N items are called the 'targets' of the series; the remaining items are the 'distractors'. Together targets and distractors make up the 'input'.
(A) 1 Practice Phase:
• 1 level of N targets (2) x 4 numbers of distractors (0, 1, 2, 3)
- order of number of distractors randomized
(B) 1 Test Phase:
• 4 levels of N targets (3, 4, 5, 6) x 3 numbers of distractors (0, 1, 2)
- level of N tested in blocked design, order of N is randomized
- order of number of distractors randomized within each block
default timings: fixation(500ms) -> blank(500ms) -> letter(300ms) -> blank(200ms)
see section Editable Stimuli
see section Editable Instructions
File Name: runningspan_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 |
| runspanTotal | Sum of all correctly recalled targets |
| runspanScore | Sum of all correctly recalled targets of sets with at least 1 distractor |
File Name: runningspan_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 |
| recallTrial | Counts the number of recall trials run |
| response | The participant's response (selected response button; 0 = no response) |
| correct | The correctness of the response (1 = correct; 0 = incorrect) |
| latency | The response latency (in ms) |
| inputrate | Rate at which letters are presented |
| nTargets | Number of targets presented |
| nDistractors | Number of distractors presented |
| nInputs | Number of presented letters (targets + distractors) |
| text.letter.currentItem | The currently presented letter |
| recalledLetters | The targets of the current set that participant recalled |
| runspanTotal | Sum of all correctly recalled targets |
| runspanScore | Sum of all correctly recalled targets of sets with at least 1 distractor |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| inputRate | Can be set to either 2500 or 500. The resulting stimulus timings are 2500ms: fixation(500) -> blank(500) -> letter(300) -> blank(2200) 500ms: fixation(500) -> blank(500) -> letter(300) -> blank(200) | 500 |
| showScoreReport | True (1): a score report is presented at the end of the task (spacebar is needed to continue) | true |