Symbol Digit Substitution Task - Mouse/Touchscreen - Form 5

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

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

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script is based on the computerized Inquisit version of the WISC Coding Task (PROCESSING SPEED TASK) developed byAmy Finn (Ph.D), John Gabrieli (Ph.D.) and Julia Leonard. Symbols provided by Millisecond.

This script version asks participants to convert digits into symbols and uses mouse/touch input. This script task is developed for touchscreens but will adapt to mouse use on non-touchscreens.

Note the script runs with proportional sizing by default. Researchers can select to run the task with an absolute screen size to ensure that distances stay the same across devices. See section Defaults for more info.

Duration

3.5 minutes

Description

Participant are presented with a 2 (row) x 9 (columns) matrix. The first row contains a sequence of digits; the second row contains boxes to be filled with digit-matching symbols.

The task is to translate digits into symbols with the help of a provided key within a 2 min time frame. Participants have to select symbols from blue buttons placed below the matrix - the symbols are arranged in a random order to avoid an obvious mapping between rank and symbol (e.g. the symbol corresponding to 1 should not be placed in the number 1 button slot etc.)

The first 4 boxes of the second row contain previously entered symbols (from the previous 4 trials); the fifth box is highlighted in purple and awaits the current symbol selection. The remaining 4 boxes of the second row are empty (the matching digits for the next 4 trials can be seen). Once a participant selects the current symbol, the digits/symbol move to the left and a new digit box is added to the right. The result: The highlighted response box always stays in the center of the matrix and the next digit conveniently 'scrolls' in.

Procedure

(A) PRACTICE:
• 9 boxes with digits on tops and symbols (or space for symbols) on the bottom
• the first 4 present symbols and digits, the last 5 digits need to be filled in by participant
• the center box (box 5) that needs to be filled in next is highlighted in purple
• participants select the matching symbol for box5 via blue response buttons
• if the answer is correct, the answer is filled in the box, the digit/symbols move to the left
and the next digit 'scrolls' above the purple response box.
• if the answer is incorrect, a text stimulus (in red) appears that reminds participant to correct
the answer.
• once all practice boxes are filled in correctly, participants continue on to the test
• after a final instruction screen comes up, participants press a button to start the test

(B) TIMED TEST:
• 9 boxes with digits on tops and symbols (or space for symbols) on the bottom
• the first 4 present symbols and digits, the last 5 digits need to be filled in by participant
• the empty response box (box 5) for the next digit is highlighted in purple
• participants select the matching symbol for box5 via blue response buttons
• there is no more performance feedback
• participant cannot correct their answers nor jump ahead.
• after two minutes the test ends.

(C) SYMBOL SEQUENCE:
the order of the symbols can be edited under section EDITABLE LISTS
Follow instructions.

Instructions

instructions can be found in script symboldigitsubstitutiontask_mi_instructions_inc.iqjs

Summary Data

File Name: symboldigitsubstitutiontask_scrolling_testx.iqdat

Data Fields

Raw Data

File Name: symboldigitsubstitutiontask_scrolling_testx.iqdat

Data Fields

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.