Reaction Time Timestamps in milliseconds or microseconds?

Lorenzon

Hello there!

it is always nice to write here! guys i have some troubles with my experiments (simultaneity judgement task and temporal order judgement task). I defined, throurgh inline script (psychopy backend), the logic to register reaction time as follows:

# trial begins
soa = var.soa # Assume SOAs values are taken from the pre-defined loop

isi_casual = isi_average + random.randint(-jittering, jittering)

blank_canvas.show() #300 ms

clock.sleep(interval_duration)

# Register the time before the presenttion of the stimuli (after the fixation cross)

start_time = clock.time()

# Stimuli

if soa < 0:

my_sampler.play()

clock.sleep(sound_duration) # Sound time

clock.sleep(abs(soa))

visual_canvas.show()

elif soa > 0:

visual_canvas.show()

clock.sleep(sound_duration)

blank_canvas.show()

clock.sleep(soa)

my_sampler.play()

else: # SOA = 0

my_sampler.play()

visual_canvas.show()

clock.sleep(sound_duration)

blank_canvas.show()

# Register the response

key, rt = my_keyboard.get_key()

if key is None:

rt = 'timeout'

accuracy = 0

else:

rt = clock.time() - start_time

The problem i'm finding is with the format through which the reaction times are saved in the CSV output file. Basically, i found very large reaction times, with decimals assigned (it seems) in a arbitrary way. Reaction times could go to a minimum of 100 ms, to a maximum og 2370 ms. On the out put file reaction times are saved like this:

i can't understand their formats. Can you guys please help me in understanding the format of these RT and eventually if i have to change the logic of the script to collect RT? Thanks for anyone that will try to help.

Kind regards,

Lorenzo

eduard

Hi Lorenzo,

You probably need to change the decimal separator when importing the data into Excel. Use dot for decimals and commas for thousand separator. See here for more detail:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/change-the-character-used-to-separate-thousands-or-decimals-c093b545-71cb-4903-b205-aebb9837bd1e

Hope this helps,

Eduard