Millisecond Forums

how to vary a time length of a fixation point

https://forums.millisecond.com/Topic18380.aspx

By RBalas - 2/17/2016

Hello,
I 've recently had an issue of how to vary time of a fixation point. I need to randomly assign a duration of the initial stimulus (a fixation point) so as to avoid expectancy of a words that follows. My idea is that after presentation of an X the next word would appear, so the /stimulustimes property should be varied. Here's the code I wrote but... it doesn't appear to work. HELP!!!! Anyone!!!!

Best - Robert Balas

<text CSwords>
/items = ("lapafa", "hatuka", "perano", "ufete", "seraku", "odikef", "runego", "belude")
/ fontstyle = ("Times New Roman", 4.85%, true, false, false, false, 5, 0)
/ txcolor = (0, 0, 0)
/ select = noreplace
</text>

<trial CSwords>
/ ontrialbegin = [trial.cswords.setstimulustime(text.cswords, counter.fix_time.selectedvalue)]
/ pretrialpause = 500
/ stimulustimes = [1 = fix; 1000 = CSwords; 3000 = blank]
/ posttrialpause = 6000
/ response = noresponse
</trial>

<counter fix_time>
/ items = (500, 1500)
/ select = noreplace
/ selectionrate = always
</counter>

<block temp.CSwords>
/ trials = [1-10 = CSwords]
</block>

<text fix>
/ items = ("X")
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 5.04%, true, false, false, false, 5, 0)
/ txcolor = (220, 20, 60)
</text>

<shape blank>
/ shape = rectangle
/ size = (80%, 80%)
/ color = (white)
</shape>


By Dave - 2/17/2016

The <trial> should read like this:

<trial CSwords>
/ ontrialbegin = [trial.cswords.setstimulustime(text.cswords, counter.fix_time.selectedvalue)]
/ ontrialend = [trial.cswords.resetstimulusframes(); ]
/ pretrialpause = 500
/ stimulustimes = [0 = fix; 3000 = blank]
/ posttrialpause = 6000
/ response = noresponse
</trial>

and you'll probably want the <counter>'s /selectionrate to be 'trial', not 'always', as well as have it contain all three possible values for the onset of the word-stimulus (500, 1000, 1500):

<counter fix_time>
/ items = (500, 1000, 1500)
/ select = noreplace
/ selectionrate = trial
</counter>
By RBalas - 2/17/2016

Dave,

Excellent! Thank you.

Robert