Specs for DML1
 
Overview
 
This is a very simple study. There is a subject condition variable but the program is not 
affected by it -- it merely stores it. All responses are made with the mouse.
 
Assume for now that there will be two text files provided.  One is called MemoryList, 
and will contain 20 words. The other is called TestList, and will contain 40 words 
(including the 20 from MemoryList) each associated with a code (A, B, and N). For
 now, you can just make two dummy files, one containing the strings ML1,…,ML20 
and the other containing the string TL1,…,TL40 with some random permutation of A, 
B, and N. Do not randomize anything: these files will be presented in the same fixed 
order for every subject. (Sounds crazy, but we have a very good reason for this!)
 
Sample file MemoryList:
ML1
ML2
ML3
…
ML20
 
Sample file TestList:
TL1 A
TL2 B
TL3 N
TL4 B
…
TL40 N
 
Procedure
 
1. Collect subject number, etc. Ask experimenter to click to enter a condition, which 
is labeled either C or M.
 
2. Then show instructions 1 to subject:
 
Instructions 1
 
We are going to have you study a list of words one at a time on the computer. Later 
you will get a memory test. Please try to commit each of these words to memory.
 
Some of the words will be very short, common, and easy to remember words. Some 
of the words will be much less common and will obviously be harder to remember. 
Just do your best to study each word when it appears. No one can remember all the 
words on the list.
 
*Now present lists of words one at a time, for two seconds each in big letters in 
the center of the screen. Inter-stimulus interval should be 1 second of blank screen. *
 
3. At the completion of this presentation, go on to
 
Instructions 2
 
Now we would like you to play a videogame for a few minutes.
 
*Go to videogame for five minutes. Do you have some involving and easy 
videogame you can have people play, that doesn't require them to read 
any instructions? *
 
4. Now show Instructions 3:
 
Instructions 3
 
Now the computer will give you a test on the words that you looked at the beginning 
of the experiment. We will show you a list of 40 words, some of which you saw earlier. 
If you remember a word, please press "Old". If you don't think you saw the word before, 
please press "New". Don't be discouraged if you feel you are making mistakes; the items 
vary greatly in difficulty.
 
*Now present the 40 words in TestList in order. Put the the word up there, and 
give them two button choices to click on, labeled "Old" and "New". They must 
respond. Record how long it takes them to respond (mouse RTs are not normally 
terribly reliable but it is better to save this information just in case we want to look 
at it.) *
 
Data Storage
 
Store the following from the Test only, looking roughly like this. The "Code" is just the code 
associated with the test trial item:
 
Cond Trial Word Presented Response ResponseTime Code
C 1 Fish  Old  4420 A
M 2 Chair  New 2975 B
…
etc.