Problem with key release and no response as correct function (case 9547)

[cam15]

I am having problems with the using the key release (rtr) function with the no response as correct function. I am able to program the following:

Trial type 1: Participants press and hold a button, wait for a target tone, release button 1 and press button 2.

Trial type 2: On some trials, participants hear a high or low tone, to which they are not to respond, but continue holding button 1, and then the next trial should start. (Although they could respond as above, but they would be instructed not to...this would be considered a FALSE response.)

When I use the -1 key code as a correct response while participants are holding button 1, the next trial never initiates (probably because participants are, in fact pressing a button). The next trial won't start, even if they wait until the max style time. The next trial won't start until they release button 1. It seems DirectRT does not read a response as no response unless no key is pressed.

Is there a way to program the next trial initiation when continually pressing a button? Perhaps there is a way to do this with a meta command for the last part of the trial. For example, after ___ms, start the next trial.

I appreciate any feedback you can provide. Input files are attached.

[jason_reed]

Dear cam15,

I've been looking at your files and trying to figure out a way to get the trial to proceed to the subsequent trial while holding down a key. However, I have not found any way to make this happen as of yet. I will talk to our programming staff at the earliest opportunity and will see if there is another approach that I have not yet tried.

[cam15]

Thank you for looking in to this.

[jason_reed]

Hi cam15,

After talking with Blair Jarvis, I confirmed that DirectRT does not currently have the capability to advance to another trial until any key being held down is released. Thank you for your patience in this matter, and please let me know if there are any other questions with which I can be of help.

[cam15]

Thank you for trying. I appreciate it!

[jason_reed]

You're quite welcome. Please feel free to send us any other future questions you may have.

[cam15]

Hi Jason,

Is it possible to mask a button in DirectRT and have the next trial initiate while a button is being pressed? So, instead of using the rtr function, just use the regular rt function and have DirectRT ignore when a certain button is being pressed completely so that the subsequent trial initiates?

Thank you.

[jason_reed]

Hi cam15.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that DirectRT can do this using a key press command and be certain that the key stayed pressed all the way through the trial. Let's say that you begin all your trials by telling participants to press and hold a key (see the attached input file as an example). DirectRT will will record the amount of time it took to press the assigned key(s) after the presentation of the stimulus. It will also show any subsequent stimuli until it comes to another command asking for a keypress. In the attached file, all the other stimuli in the first trial are presented as programmed because they are all shown for a defined amount of time.

The issue comes for the next keypress, which begins the subsequent trial in the attached input file. The sitmulus of insructions to press and hold the key at the start of the second trial will be displayed and stay displayed until the defined key is pressed. And DirectRT will, as ususal, record the amount of time that passes between the dispaly of the stimulus instructions in this second trial and the pressing of the appropriate key. However, there is no way to tell what happened after the key was first pressed at the start of the first trial. There is no record of if the key was relased and pressed again beyond the initial press during the first trial. It is possible that the 1 key was held down all the way through the first trial, but it is also possible that it was released during the first trial or pressed again. Thus, you can't tell what may occur in the reaction time recorded for the key presses in any trials after the first.