Script Author: K. Leavitt, F. Qiu, F., D.L. Shapiro
Credits:
Millisecond thanks the authors for generously sharing their script through the Millisecond Software Task Library!
The script was updated to Inquisit 7 by Millisecond.
The script was updated to Inquisit 7 by Millisecond.
Last Modified: May 26, 2026 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements a simulation of a team dynamic environment where cheating behavior occurs during the team task. More information in document "readme.html"
This version is designed to simulate a team dynamic environment where cheating behavior occurs during the team task.
Please read IMPORTANT notes below before you modify and use the script
1. The script consists of two parts, (1) Switcher Panel Modules and (2) Core Code Modules.
2. If you would like to narrowly modify the program, please only make changes in Switcher Panel Modules WITHOUT changing anything in Core Code Modules. Please make sure you read the labeled instructions following "//" symbol in Switcher Panel Modules carefully before conducting any modification.
3. If you would like to deeply modify the program, you will need to modify codes in Core Code Modules. If you have any questions about coding in Inquisit, please visit https://www.millisecond.com/ to search for solutions.
4. If you would like to exit the program after the program is run, please use "Ctrl + Q" or close the window to exit the program at any time. You can also use "Ctrl + B" to skip any block when needed.
Please Read Before Using the Scripts: "readme.html"
Leavitt, K., Qiu, F., & Shapiro, D. L. (2021). Using Electronic Confederates for Experimental Research in Organizational Science. Organizational Research Methods, 24(1), 3–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428119889136
Erez, A., Schilpzand, P., Leavitt, K., Woolum, A. H., & Judge, T. A. (2015). Inherently relational: Interactions between peers’ and individuals’ personalities impact reward giving and appraisal of individual performance. Academy of Management Journal, 58, 1761-1784.
Schilpzand, P., Leavitt, K., & Lim, S. (2016). Incivility hates company: Shared incivility attenuates rumination, stress, and psychological withdrawal by reducing self-blame. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 133, 33-44.
10 minutes
Participant is asked to join on online team task: as a team, find as many uses for a paper clip as you can. The co-players are all Electronic Confederates that have been manipulated in the following way: - Player1: plays ethically (suggestions make sense) - Player2: plays unethically (random typed strings) - Player3: plays unethically (random typed strings)
1. participantID: the participant's ID is entered into a textbox
2. taskCoverstory: the overt 'task' is explained
3. userpicSelect: participant selects an icon
4. userName: participant enters a user name (will appear on screen)
5. connectionFailure: system attempts to 'connect' with other player networks but fails
6. connectionSuccess: system 'connects'
7. taskInstructions: the task gets explained in detail
8. preTaskloading: a fake loading procedure is initiated
9. task: task is played (until participant has been selected 8 times):
the team task begins with the computer selecting 'randomly' the first person to start the game (it's always the same EC).
Once a response is entered, the current team member selects the next via mouse click on the respective icon.
Occasionally team mates 'send' text messages. After the participant ('player 2') has provided 8 answers the task is terminated.
10. taskend: end of task
11. taskScore: final score is reported
12. postSurvey1: post task questions
13. postSurvey2: post task questions
14. postSurvey3: post task questions
15. debriefing: optional debriefing
provided by authors - all editable
provided by authors - all editable
File Name: synergize_unethicalbehaviorversion_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 |
| player1Selections | Number of times participant selected player 1 ('ethical' player) |
| player3Selections | Number of times participant selected player 3 ('unethical' player) |
| player4Selections | Number of times participant selected player 4 ('unethical' player) |
File Name: synergize_unethicalbehaviorversion_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 |
| text.version.currentItem | Stores the version of the game |
| date | Date the session was run |
| time | Time the session was run |
| subject | Participant ID |
| group | Group number |
| session | Session number |
| blockcode | The name the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| blocknum | The number of the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| trialcode | The name of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) |
| trialnum | The number of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) trialnum is a built-in Inquisit variable; it counts all trials run even those that do not store data to the data file. |
| response | The participant's response during the current trial |
| latency | The response latency (in ms) |