Millisecond Forums

N-Back Test

https://forums.millisecond.com/Topic20113.aspx

By Scritch - 11/14/2016

Hi,
I am having a look at the Adaptive N-Back Test, and as I understand it, the test increases in difficulty only if the participant is doing well. I just wondered if it would be possible to adapt the script so that it increases in difficulty regardless of whether the participant is doing well or not. I'm a bit of a novice with Inquisit to be honest, having only made minor changes to a script before, so any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks
Kind regards
Richard
By Dave - 11/15/2016

Scritch - Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Hi,
I am having a look at the Adaptive N-Back Test, and as I understand it, the test increases in difficulty only if the participant is doing well. I just wondered if it would be possible to adapt the script so that it increases in difficulty regardless of whether the participant is doing well or not. I'm a bit of a novice with Inquisit to be honest, having only made minor changes to a script before, so any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks
Kind regards
Richard

The adaption -- i.e., in- or decreasing the N-level based on performance -- happens here:

<block s_ntask_adapt>
...
/ branch = [if (values.N < values.LastN && ((values.Misses + values.FalseA) < 3)) {values.N += 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}]       
/ branch = [if (values.N > 1  && ((values.Misses + values.FalseA) > 5)) {values.N -= 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}
                    else block.s_ntask_adapt]
</block>

I.e., as detailed in the comments
*if a participant makes fewer than 3 errors on a level then participant moves up a level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))
*if a participant makes more than 5 errors on a level then participant moves down a level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))
*otherwise participant stays on the same level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))

If you simply want to increase N regardless of performance, replace that with a single /branch that reads

<block s_ntask_adapt>
...
/ branch = [if (values.N < values.LastN) {values.N += 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}]       
</block>


By Scritch - 11/15/2016

Dave - Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Scritch - Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Hi,
I am having a look at the Adaptive N-Back Test, and as I understand it, the test increases in difficulty only if the participant is doing well. I just wondered if it would be possible to adapt the script so that it increases in difficulty regardless of whether the participant is doing well or not. I'm a bit of a novice with Inquisit to be honest, having only made minor changes to a script before, so any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks
Kind regards
Richard

The adaption -- i.e., in- or decreasing the N-level based on performance -- happens here:

<block s_ntask_adapt>
...
/ branch = [if (values.N < values.LastN && ((values.Misses + values.FalseA) < 3)) {values.N += 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}]       
/ branch = [if (values.N > 1  && ((values.Misses + values.FalseA) > 5)) {values.N -= 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}
                    else block.s_ntask_adapt]
</block>

I.e., as detailed in the comments
*if a participant makes fewer than 3 errors on a level then participant moves up a level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))
*if a participant makes more than 5 errors on a level then participant moves down a level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))
*otherwise participant stays on the same level (see Jaeggi et al (2010))

If you simply want to increase N regardless of performance, replace that with a single /branch that reads

<block s_ntask_adapt>
...
/ branch = [if (values.N < values.LastN) {values.N += 1; block.s_ntask_adapt}]       
</block>



Hi Dave,

Thanks very much indeed for the reply! That's perfect, very very much appreciated!

Kind regards
Richard