Working Memory

SuperLab Experiments
1

Hi,

I’ve run into a problem of seeing the input of the participant’s answers. I get the overall times, participant’s name, trial names, event names on the txt. datasheet but not the actual typed answer. It just says “serial recall” (the name of the response) NR.

Not sure if the design is correct but this is what I have done:

The test is to remember 9 individually presented digits serially (i.e. to recall in the same order as they were presented). They are shown for 500ms and there’s a 250ms isi.

Block: 1. instructions 2. block1 3. answer

Trials: Instructions, serial recall1…serial recall9 (these are the numbers referring to the events that are randomised in each run), answer

Events: Instructions, cue (after instructions), 1, 1 isi (these are paired for each trial), 2, 2 isi, 3, 3 isi… 9, 9 isi, recall prompt, answer (the window for asnwer)

Event type is “text” with a corresponding number (1-9). Input is set "only after a time limit (500ms fixed). ISI event is set for 250ms with “only after a time limit” (0 in this menu).

The prompt is 1000ms and gives written instructions for the answer (“type in the answer in the order seen on the screen”).

Answer “only after a time limit” which is 10000ms. New response is created: Correct response is “string input” & “open ended” box is ticked. The option of “save this response to the collected data file” is ticked.

That’s the design so far. I will add more blocks to this design and my attempt is also to add a distractor audio file for each trial but first the problem of the missing input needs to be resolved - any help would be appreciated alot.

2

It would be very helpful if I can take a look at your experiment. Can you please post it as an Experiment Package? This is found under the File menu within SuperLab.

3

Hi,

Thanks for the help in advance.

Testi_experiment.zip (2.65 KB)

4

Thank you for posting your experiment. We made some modifications and posted the revision.

  • Nine stimulus lists were created. Each list starts with a different number. For example, the first list is 1-9, the second list starts with the number 2 and so on
  • There are now only two trials. One trial for the instructions and one named "Serial Recall"
  • Randomization is done under the [B]Trial[/B] level, "Randomize the events in this trial". It is randomizing all the events in the trial "except the last one"
  • The "recall prompt" and "Answer" events were combined into one event
  • The "ISI" is now used as [B]Feedback[/B], so you only need one "ISI" event instead of nine
  • Under the [B]Experiment[/B] menu, then [B]Participant Input[/B], for both Single Key and String Input there is an [B]Options[/B] tab. Here "only if an event designated a single key or string input response was" selected

Testi_experiment with lists.sl4 (13.5 KB)

5

Thanks for the quick reply, and thank you for the revision of the test! It looks less cluttered now. However, I only had a quick look at it (as it is in the middle of the night here) and I get what you did with it but after running through the experiment my data sheet still doesn’t have a record of my answers. Did you have this problem?

Thanks

V

6

We ran your experiment a few times and the answers were recorded.

7

that’s odd. I don’t get my answers to appear on the txt.file. Im using a mac, is there perhaps some bugs you’ve found in the past that might do this. I type in the numbers on the keyboard on the laptop and tried opening the data on txt and with the dataviewer. it just says: “correct response” and underneath “serial recall”, and the “error code” is “NR”. It gives me the cumulative times but not the numbers I have typed in the box. In the instructions block it says “space” under particiapants response but after that it’s empty.

8

I will contact you by private message.

9

This issue has been fixed in the new SuperLab 4.5.2 release.