Script Author: Dave Nitz (dave@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Last Modified: January 28, 2024 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements the Spatial Delayed Response Task (sdRT) using short and long delays to test memory of spatial locations
The implemented procedure is based on:
Lyons-Warren, A., Rema, L., & Hershey, T. (2004). Short- and long-term spatial delayed response performance across the lifespan. Developmental Neuropsychology, 26(3), 661–678.
Note: The Spatial Delayed Response Task (sdRT) requires stimulus sizes, positions as well as subjects' pointing errors to be measured in millimeters. This script automatically a) checks that the current display is big enough to run this task b) calculates a 'pixel/mm' ratio for the current display and uses that ratio to size the stimuli accordingly
40 minutes
A small dot briefly flashes on the screen in one of 32 screen locations. The primary task is to recall the position of the dot after a delay period that introduces a non-memory "distractor" task that interferes with rehearsal: for different delay periods a series of geometric shapes appear in the center of the screen for one second each. Participant are asked to press the space bar whenever they see the diamond shape ("go trial"). After the delay period is over, the mouse cursor appears as a dot and participants are asked move the dot to the screen position where they remember the small dot to have appeared. Once at the position, participants are asked to click the mouse*. In 1/3 of all trials the dot appears in the exact position that the cue appeared in (cue trial).
• in Lyons-Warren et al (2004) participants pointed to the location and the experimenter placed the dot
3 blocks:
1. Screen calibration to size the stimuli for the current monitor
2. Practice: 4 practice trials (default)
3. Test:
• 24 nocue trials (cursor dot appears by itself)
• 8 nocue trials present the memory test (pointing trial) after a delay (CPT task) of 5000ms
• 8 nocue trials present the memory test (pointing trial) after a delay (CPT task) of 60000ms
• 8 nocue trials present the memory test (pointing trial) after a delay (CPT task) of 120000ms
• 8 cue trials (together with the cursor dot, the original dot appears in the exact position that it appeared in before)
• all 8 cue trials present the memory test (pointing trial) after a delay (CPT task) of 5000ms
• CPT task: stimuli are selected randomly with replacement for the duration of the selected memory delay
The Spatial Delayed Response Task (sdRT) requires stimulus sizes, positions as well as subjects'
pointing errors to be measured in millimeters.
This script automatically
a) checks that the current display is big enough to run this task
b) calculates a 'pixel/mm' ratio for the current display and uses that
ratio to size the stimuli accordingly
see section Editable Stimuli
Instructions are not original to the task. They are provided by Millisecond
as htm/html pages and simple page elements and can be edited either by changing
the provided htm/html files or directly under Editable Instructions.
To edit htm/html-files: open the respective documents in simple Text Editors such as TextEdit (Mac)
or Notepad (Windows).
File Name: spatialdelayedresponsetask_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 |
| nCueTotal | Total count of cue-present trials. |
| nCueValid | Number of cue-present trials marked as valid. |
| sumErrorCue | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid cue-present trials. |
| ssErrorCue | Squared sum of error across all valid cue-present trials. |
| mErrorCue | Mean pointing error (in mm) for cue-present trials. |
| sdErrorCue | Standard deviation of pointing error for cue-present trials. |
| n5Total | Total count of 5sec delay trials. |
| n5Valid | Number of 5sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError5 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 5sec delay trials. |
| ssError5 | Squared sum of error across all valid 5sec delay trials. |
| mError5 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 5sec delay trials. |
| sdError5 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 5sec delay trials. |
| n60Total | Total count of 60sec delay trials. |
| n60Valid | Number of 60sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError60 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 60sec delay trials. |
| ssError60 | Squared sum of error across all valid 60sec delay trials. |
| mError60 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 60sec delay trials. |
| sdError60 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 60sec delay trials. |
| n120Total | Total count of 120sec delay trials. |
| n120Valid | Number of 120sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError120 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 120sec delay trials. |
| ssError120 | Squared sum of error across all valid 120sec delay trials. |
| mError120 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 120sec delay trials. |
| sdError120 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 120sec delay trials. |
| nCptCurrent | Number of CPT trials run in the current trial. |
| cptErrorsCurrent | Number of CPT errors in the current trial. |
| nCptTotal | Total number of CPT trials run. Separate counts for practice and test blocks. |
| cptErrorsTotal | Total number CPT errors across the whole task. Separate counts for practice and test blocks. |
File Name: spatialdelayedresponsetask_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 For The Delays For The Cue And Nocue Trials |
|
| trialCount | Global trial count. Separate counts for practice and test blocks. |
| trialType | Type of current trial. cue -> cue-present trial ; nocue -> uncued (experimental) trial |
| delayCondition | Delay condition of current trial (5000, 60000 or 120000). |
| delayCountdown | Remaining delay during CPT trials. picture.cptstim.currentItem |
| response | The participant's response 57 = spacebar press |
| correct | The correctness of the response (1 = correct; 0 = incorrect) |
| latency | The response latency (in ms) |
| tStart | Start time of pointing phase. |
| tend | End time of pointing phase. |
| pointLatency | Pointing latency (in ms) computed from difference between 'tend' and 'tstart'. |
| angle | Current position of the cue stimulus in degrees around a circle. Angles proceed clockwise from the 12:00 position in 10 degree intervals. Exact horizontal and vertical positions are excluded (0,90,180 and 270 degrees). |
| cuex | X coordinate of cue. |
| cuey | Y coordinate of cue. |
| pointx | X coordinate of pointing location. |
| pointy | Y coordinate of pointing location. |
| errorPX | Returns the current pointing error in pixels. |
| errorMM | Returns the current pointing error in millimeters. |
| valid | Returns whether the current trial was marked 'invalid' or 'valid' 0 -> invalid 1 -> valid |
| nCueTotal | Total count of cue-present trials. |
| nCueValid | Number of cue-present trials marked as valid. |
| sumErrorCue | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid cue-present trials. |
| ssErrorCue | Squared sum of error across all valid cue-present trials. |
| mErrorCue | Mean pointing error (in mm) for cue-present trials. |
| sdErrorCue | Standard deviation of pointing error for cue-present trials. |
| n5Total | Total count of 5sec delay trials. |
| n5Valid | Number of 5sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError5 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 5sec delay trials. |
| ssError5 | Squared sum of error across all valid 5sec delay trials. |
| mError5 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 5sec delay trials. |
| sdError5 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 5sec delay trials. |
| n60Total | Total count of 60sec delay trials. |
| n60Valid | Number of 60sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError60 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 60sec delay trials. |
| ssError60 | Squared sum of error across all valid 60sec delay trials. |
| mError60 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 60sec delay trials. |
| sdError60 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 60sec delay trials. |
| n120Total | Total count of 120sec delay trials. |
| n120Valid | Number of 120sec delay trials markes as valid. |
| sumError120 | Sum of pointing error (in mm) across all valid 120sec delay trials. |
| ssError120 | Squared sum of error across all valid 120sec delay trials. |
| mError120 | Mean pointing error (in mm) for 120sec delay trials. |
| sdError120 | Standard deviation of pointing error for 120sec delay trials. |
| nCptCurrent | Number of CPT trials run in the current trial. |
| cptErrorsCurrent | Number of CPT errors in the current trial. |
| nCptTotal | Total number of CPT trials run. Separate counts for practice and test blocks. |
| cptErrorsTotal | Total number CPT errors across the whole task. Separate counts for practice and test blocks. |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Absolute Stimulus Sizing |
||
| cuesizeMM | Size of the cue stimulus in millimeters. This value is converted to pixel dimensions. Default is 6.5mm. Lyons-Warren et al (2004) used 10mm | |
| stimsizeMM | Size of the CPT stimuli in millimeters. This value is converted to pixel dimensions. Default is 20mm. | |
| radiusMM | Circle's radius (where cue can be located) in millimeters. This value is converted to pixel dimensions Default is 60mm. Lyons-Warren et al (2004) possibly used 95mm (the article states 950mm which looks like a printing error) | |
Duration Parameters |
||
| durPrecueMin | Minimum duration of precue delay. | |
| durPrecueMax | Maximum duration of precue delay. | |
| durCue | Cue presentation duration in milliseconds. Default is 150. | |
| durCpt | Duration of stimulus exposure in CPT trials. Default is 1000. | |
| durIti | Duration of the inter-trial-interval (ITI). Default is 1000. | |
Other Task Parameters |
||
| nPracticeTrials | Number of trials to absolve during practice. Default is 4. | |
| skipPractice | Pseudo-boolean switch to en- or disable the practice block. 0 -> run practice block 1 -> skip practice block | |
| skipTest | Pseudo-boolean switch to en- or disable the test block. 0 -> run test block 1 -> skip test block | |