___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Reflexive Imagery Task (RIT)* ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Date: 09-12-2017 last updated: 10-06-2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC Script Copyright © 10-06-2023 Millisecond Software ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND INFO ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This script implements a computerized Reflexive Imagery Task; a task to study the reflexive nature of thought using a set of images. The implemented procedure is based on: Allen, A.K., Wilkins, K., Gazzaley, A. & Morsella, E. (2013). Conscious thoughts from reflex-like processes: A new experimental paradigm for consciousness research. Consciousness and Cognition, 22, 1318–1331. Note: this script implements only the condition in which participants are asked to suppress thinking of the name of the presented objects. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TASK DESCRIPTION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Participants are presented images of objects for 4s (default) and are instructed to NOT think of the name of the object. However, if they do think of the name, they are instructed to press the Spacebar immediately. Optional: spacebar presses are followed by two likert questions about 'automaticity' of the thoughts and the 'urge to utter' the name of the object aloud. By default, participants work on 20 practice problems and 20 test problems. The length of practice/test is controlled by the number of provided practice/test problems and can be adjusted by adding or deleting images from item.practiceTargets and item.testTargets under section Editable Stimuli. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DURATION ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ the default set-up of the script takes appr. 7 minutes to complete ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DATA OUTPUT DICTIONARY ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The fields in the data files are: (1) Raw data file: 'rit_raw*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant)* build: The specific Inquisit version used (the 'build') that was run computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android) date, time: date and time script was run subject, group: with the current subject/groupnumber session: with the current session id blockCode, blockNum: the name and number of the current block (built-in Inquisit variable) trialCode, trialNum: the name and number of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable) Note: trialNum is a built-in Inquisit variable; it counts all trials run; even those that do not store data to the data file such as feedback trials. Thus, trialNum may not reflect the number of main trials run per block. (parameter) skipAutomaticityQuestion: 1 (true) = the automaticity likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the automaticity likert question is presented after a spacebar press (parameter) skipUrgeToUtterQuestion: 1 (true) = the urgeToUtter likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the urgeToUtter likert question is presented after a spacebar press Note: if selected the automaticity question always precedes the urgeToUtter question in this script stimulusItem: the first fixed-coded stimulusitem to appear in the trial image: stores the presented image response: the participant's response trial.practice/trial.test: 57 = spacebar press likert trials = the rating (1-8) latency: the response latency (in ms); measured from: onset of stimuli failedSuppression: 1 = failed suppression (spacebar was pressed); 0 = otherwise automaticityResponse: the automaticity rating urgeToUtterResponse: the urge to utter rating (2) Summary data file: 'rit_summary*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant)* inquisit.version: Inquisit version run computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android) startDate: date script was run startTime: time script was started subjectId: assigned subject id number groupId: assigned group id number sessionId: assigned session id number elapsedTime: time it took to run script (in ms); measured from onset to offset of script completed: 0 = script was not completed (prematurely aborted); 1 = script was completed (all conditions run) (parameter) skipAutomaticityQuestion: 1 (true) = the automaticity likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the automaticity likert question is presented after a spacebar press (parameter) skipUrgeToUtterQuestion: 1 (true) = the urgeToUtter likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the urgeToUtter likert question is presented after a spacebar press Note: if selected the automaticity question always precedes the urgeToUtter question in this script propFailedSuppression: proportion failed suppressions during the test meanRTFailedSuppression: mean latency (in ms) of failed suppressions (measured at point of spacebar press) meanAutomaticityRating: mean automaticity rating (if applicable) meanUrgeToUtterRating: mean urge to utter rating (if applicable) * separate data files: to change to one data file for all participants (on Inquisit Lab only), go to section "DATA" and follow further instructions ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Practice/Demo Block: runs as many trials as there are practice items (see section Editable Stimuli item.practiceTargets)- default: 20 * First practice trial presents instruction reminders on screen * the 20 default stimuli are based on List A used by Allen et al (2013) with three substitutions * the order of the stimuli is determined randomly 2. Test: runs as many trials as there are test items (see section Editable Stimuli item.testTargets)- default: 20 * a reminder to press <Enter> to start trial is presented after 5s * the 20 default stimuli are based on List B used by Allen et al (2013) with three substitutions * the order of the stimuli is determined randomly Automaticity/Urge to Utter -Likert questions: optional (see section Editable Parameters), by default they are both turned off - 'automaticity' question always precedes 'urge to utter' question (unless 'automaticity' question is skipped) - are presented if the Spacebar is pressed during the presentation of the target images - present a scale from 1-8 and wait for selection Trial Sequence: Start-screen with prompt (5000s, editable) -> Fixation cross for 700ms (editable) -> image for max 4000ms (waits for Spacebar response) IF: spacebar response, 2 likert questions regarding ratings for 'automaticity' and 'urge to utter' are given (optional) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STIMULI ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The images provided with this script are digitalized versions (300px x 300px) of the pictures presented by: Snodgrass, J. G., & Vanderwart, M. (1980). A standardized set of 260 pictures: Norms for name agreement, image agreement, familiarity, and visual complexity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory, 6, 174-215. The images were created in Paint.NET by Millisecond Software LLC. the images can be easily edited under section Editable Stimuli Note: the number of stimuli listed under item.practiceTargets and item.testTargets controls the number of practice/test trials run ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ INSTRUCTIONS ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ provided by Millisecond Software - can be edited under section Editable Instructions ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDITABLE CODE ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ check below for (relatively) easily editable parameters, stimuli, instructions etc. Keep in mind that you can use this script as a template and therefore always "mess" with the entire code to further customize your experiment. The parameters you can change are: /promptDuration: duration (in ms) of the prompt (default: 5000ms) /fixationDuration: duration (in ms) of fixation cross (default: 700ms) /targetDuration: max. duration (in ms) of target image (default: 4000ms) /picSize: controls the proportional sizing of the images (proportional to canvas height) (default: 30%) /skipAutomaticityQuestion: 1 (true) = the automaticity likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the automaticity likert question is presented after a spacebar press /skipUrgeToUtterQuestion: 1 (true) = the urgeToUtter likert question is skipped after a spacebar press (default) 0 (false) = the urgeToUtter likert question is presented after a spacebar press Note: if selected the automaticity question always precedes the urgeToUtter question in this script