Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Millisecond thanks Alex Burgoyne and Jason Tsukahara for collaborating on the Inquisit Squared Tasks!
Created: January 21, 2024
Last Modified: January 11, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements Millisecond's version of the StroopSquared task designed by Burgoyne et al (2023). The StroopSquared task is part of a 'squared' test battery designed by Burgoyne et al (2023). These tasks are designed to provide an additional level of conflict (thus, the 'squared' part of the name) as well as a quick administration time compared to the more traditional designs of their respective tasks.
Note: this script can be run with a fixed or randomized sequence of trials. Millisecond provides five different fixed versions. The version can be set under section Editable Parameters.
Burgoyne, A. P., Tsukahara, J. S., Mashburn, C. A., Pak, R., & Engle, R. W. (2023). Nature and Measurement of Attention Control. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 152(8), 2369–2402. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001408
Task made available at: https://osf.io/7q598/
3 minutes
Participants view a top word (the 'target') which is either the word 'RED' or 'BLUE' in either a red or a blue display color. Below the target, participants get two response buttons: a left response button displaying the word 'RED' or 'BLUE' in either a red or a blue display color and a right response button displaying the word 'RED' or 'BLUE' (opposite word from left) in either a red or a blue display color (color is opposite from left color). Participants are asked to choose (mouse or touch) the response button that displays the semantic word that is congruent with the display color of the target word. According to Burgoyne et al (2023) "the challenge is for participants to pay attention to the display color of the target stimulus and the semantic meaning of the response options."
The setup of the targets/response options fall into four different congruence categories: "FullyCongruent": target word and display color as well as response words and response display colors are congruent "StimCongruent": target word and display color congruent BUT response words and response display colors are incongruent "StimIncongruent": target word and display color are incongruent BUT response words and response display colors are congruent "FullyIncongruent": target word and display color are incongruent AND response words and response display colors are incongruent
1. Instruction block with one 'fully incongruent' example (can be repeated as often as necessary)
2. Practice block: runs for 30 seconds (see editable parameters)
- depending on parameters.version:
runs a randomly generated BUT fixed sequence of trials OR runs a randomly generated sequence*
- each response receives visual and auditory feedback for 200ms (see editable parameters)
- if the last trial was timed-out, the block stops
3. Instruction block with one 'fully incongruent' example (can be repeated as often as necessary)
4. Test block: runs for 90 seconds (see editable parameters)
- depending on parameters.version:
runs a randomly generated BUT fixed sequence of trials OR runs a randomly generated sequence*
- each response receives visual and auditory feedback for 200ms (see editable parameters)
- if the last trial was timed-out, the block stops
summary variables for the test are based on completed trials only (timed-out trial is not
considered for correct and incorrect counts)
different versions of the task as well as stimuli used by Burgoyne et al (2023) provided at:
https://osf.io/7q598/.
different versions of the task as well as stimuli used by Burgoyne et al (2023) provided at:
https://osf.io/7q598/.
Instructions were modelled based on the provided eprime script
The instructions are language-specific and run out of script file stroopsquared_instructions_inc.iqjs
File Name: stroopsquared_summary*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| inquisit.version | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| startdate | Date script 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 |
Parameter Values |
|
| version | 1,2,3,4,5 or random (the version run by this script) |
| practiceFinalScore | The number of points earned during practice |
Test Trials Only |
|
| totalTrialCount | Total number of test trials run (Excluded: last time that is timed-out) |
| finalScore | The number of points earned during the test phase |
| meanCorrRT | Mean correct response time (in ms) overall |
By Congruence |
|
| fullyCongruentTrialCount | Total number of 'fully congruent' test trials run (Excluded: last time that is timed-out) |
| fullyCongruentFinalScore | The number of points earned for 'fully congruent' test trials |
| fullyCongruentMeanCorrRT | Mean correct response time (in ms) for 'fully congruent' test trials |
| stimCongruentTrialCount | Total number of 'stim congruent' test trials run (Excluded: last time that is timed-out) |
| stimCongruentFinalScore | The number of points earned for 'stim congruent' test trials |
| stimCongruentMeanCorrRT | Mean correct response time (in ms) for 'stim congruent' test trials |
| stimIncongruentTrialCount | Total number of 'stim incongruent' test trials run (Excluded: last time that is timed-out) |
| stimIncongruentFinalScore | The number of points earned for 'stim incongruent' test trials |
| stimIncongruentMeanCorrRT | Mean correct response time (in ms) for 'stim incongruent' test trials fullyIncongruentTrialCount: total number of 'fully incongruent' test trials run (Excluded: last time that is timed-out) |
| fullyIncongruentFinalScore | The number of points earned for 'fully incongruent' test trials |
| fullyIncongruentMeanCorrRT | Mean correct response time (in ms) for 'fully incongruent' test trials |
File Name: stroopsquared_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 |
Parameter Values |
|
| version | 1,2,3,4,5 or random (the version run by this script) |
| blockCode | Name of the current block |
| blockNum | Number of the current block |
| trialCode | Name of the current trial |
| trialNum | Number of the current trial |
| test | 0 = practice phase; 1 = test phase |
| congruence | "FullyCongruent": target word and display color as well as response words and response display colors are congruent "StimCongruent": target word and display color congruent BUT response words and response display colors are incongruent "StimIncongruent": target word and display color are incongruent BUT response words and response display colors are congruent "FullyIncongruent": target word and display color are incongruent AND response words and response display colors are incongruent |
| targetWord | The top word (RED or BLUE) |
| targetColor | The display color of the target word (red or blue) |
| leftWord | The response word on the left response button |
| leftColor | The display color of the response word on the left response button |
| rightWord | The response word on the right response button |
| rightColor | The display color of the response word on the right response button |
| corrResp | The currently correct response button (left or right) correct => the response stimulus whose semantic meaning matches the target color |
| responseTimeout | The current response timeout (in ms) of the trial |
| blockScore | The total score obtained in the current block |
| stop | 0 = block continues; 1 = block stop criterium has been reached |
Built-In Variables |
|
| response | The response of participant (left or right; 0 = timed out response) |
| correct | Correctness of response (1 = correct, 0 = error) |
| latency | Response latency (in ms); measured from: stim onset |
For Debugging Purposes |
|
| text.left.textColor | Stores the color code for the left text item (#ff0000 = red; #0000ff = blue) |
| text.right.textColor | Stores the color code for the right text item |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Word Sizing |
||
| targetSizePct | The proportional size of the stim words | 8% |
Timing Parameters |
||
| practiceDurationS | The duration (in seconds) of the practice round | 60 |
| feedbackDurationMS | The feedback duration (in ms) | 200 |
| testDurationS | The duration (in seconds) of the test round | 90 |