Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

ChrisS — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 18:30:12 GMT

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with this...

I'm creating a paradigm for a child and clinical population. So to ensure that they have plenty of opportunities for a break, I want to be able to manually pause and resume the paradigm as many times as I need to during each block. Also, since I am also recording EEG, I want to make sure that a port code appears on NeuroScan 4.5 to indicate that the paradigm has (a) paused OR (b) resumed.

With what I have right now, I have been able split the paradigm into blocks with breaks in between. But just in case a participant wishes to take a break during a block, I would like to be able to pause the paradigm and resume from where it was paused (along with respective port codes), when the participant is ready to continue.

Here is what I have so far. Thank you for taking the time to help me with this! I really appreciate it

********************************************************************************
MARKERS
********************************************************************************

<port correctfeedbackmarker>
/ port = lpt1
/ subport = data
/ items = ("00000011")
</port>

<port incorrectfeedbackmarker>
/ port = lpt1
/ subport = data
/ items = ("00000100")
</port>

<port happymarker>
/ port = lpt1
/ subport = data
/ items = ("00000001")
</port>

<port sadmarker>
/ port = lpt1
/ subport = data
/ items = ("00000010")
</port>

********************************************************************************
TRIALS
********************************************************************************

<trial happy>
/ timeout = 2000
/ stimulustimes = [0 = happy; 0 = happymarker]
/ validresponse = (" ",noresponse)
/ correctresponse = (" ")
/ responsetrial = (" ", correctfeedback)
/ responsetrial = (noresponse, incorrectfeedback)
</trial>

<trial sad>
/ timeout = 2000
/ stimulustimes = [0 = sad; 0 = sadmarker]
/ validresponse = (" ",noresponse)
/ correctresponse = (noresponse)
/ responsetrial = (noresponse, correctfeedback)
/ responsetrial = (" ", incorrectfeedback)
</trial>

<trial correctfeedback>
/ stimulustimes = [0 = correctpicture; 0 = correctfeedbackmarker]
/ timeout = 500
/ validresponse = (noresponse)
</trial>

<trial incorrectfeedback>
/ stimulustimes = [0 = incorrectpicture; 0 = incorrectfeedbackmarker]
/ timeout = 500
/ validresponse = (noresponse)
</trial>

<text break>
/ items = break
/ position = (50%, 50%)
/ valign = center
/ fontstyle = ("Arial", 6.00%, false, false, false, false, 5, 1)
/ txcolor = (255, 255, 255)
/ txbgcolor = (0,0,0)
</text>

<item break>
/ 1 = "Have a break!"
</item>

<trial break>
/ stimulustimes = [0=break]
/ validresponse = (" ")
</trial>

********************************************************************************
BLOCKS
********************************************************************************

<block one>
/ trials = [1-20=noreplace(happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad)]
</block>

<block two>
/ trials = [1=break;2-21=noreplace(happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad)]
</block>

<block three>
/ trials = [1=break;2-21=noreplace(happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad)]
</block>

<block four>
/ trials = [1=break;2-21=noreplace(happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,happy,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad,sad)]
</block>

<expt>
/ blocks = [1=one; 2=two; 3=three; 4=four]
</expt>

RE: Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

ChrisS — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 18:30:12 GMT

Thanks Dave! It worked!

RE: Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

Dave — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 03:37:46 GMT

What you'll want to do is (a) define a certain response in your regular <trial>s that indicates the participant requiring a break and (b) /branch to a "pause"-trial if that response is registered. Said pause trial can also do the signalling to your EEG.

Simple example to convey the idea: http://www.millisecond.com/forums/Topic7654.aspx

Millisecond Forums » Millisecond Forums » Inquisit 4 » Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

RE: Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials

RE: Pausing Manually Within Blocks of Trials