mirror of https://github.com/jspsych/jsPsych.git synced 2025-05-10 11:10:54 +00:00

Josh de Leeuw 77725fa1f5 remove getAllTimelineVariables doc

2023-09-23 13:42:07 -04:00

21 KiB

Raw Blame History

jsPsych

initJsPsych

var jsPsych = initJsPsych(settings);

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
settings	object	The settings object for initializing jsPsych. See table below.

The settings object can contain several parameters. None of the parameters are required.

Parameter	Type	Description
display_element	string	The ID of an HTML element to display the experiment in. If left blank, jsPsych will use the `<body>` element to display content. All keyboard event listeners are bound to this element. In order for a keyboard event to be detected, this element must have focus (be the last thing that the participant clicked on).
on_finish	function	Function to execute when the experiment ends.
on_trial_start	function	Function to execute when a new trial begins.
on_trial_finish	function	Function to execute when a trial ends.
on_data_update	function	Function to execute every time data is stored using the `jsPsych.data.write` method. All plugins use this method to save data (via a call to `jsPsych.finishTrial`, so this function runs every time a plugin stores new data.
on_interaction_data_update	function	Function to execute every time a new interaction event occurs. Interaction events include clicking on a different window (blur), returning to the experiment window (focus), entering full screen mode (fullscreenenter), and exiting full screen mode (fullscreenexit).
on_close	function	Function to execute when the user leaves the page. Can be used, for example, to save data before the page is closed.
exclusions	object	Specifies restrictions on the browser the participant can use to complete the experiment. See list of options below. This feature is deprecated as of v7.1 and will be removed in v8.0. The browser-check plugin is an improved way to handle exclusions.
show_progress_bar	boolean	If `true`, then a progress bar is shown at the top of the page. Default is `false`.
message_progress_bar	string	Message to display next to the progress bar. The default is 'Completion Progress'.
auto_update_progress_bar	boolean	If true, then the progress bar at the top of the page will automatically update as every top-level timeline or trial is completed.
use_webaudio	boolean	If false, then jsPsych will not attempt to use the WebAudio API for audio playback. Instead, HTML5 Audio objects will be used. The WebAudio API offers more precise control over the timing of audio events, and should be used when possible. The default value is `true`.
default_iti	numeric	The default inter-trial interval in ms. The default value if none is specified is 0ms.
experiment_width	numeric	The desired width of the jsPsych container in pixels. If left undefined, the width will be 100% of the display element. Usually this is the `<body>` element, and the width will be 100% of the screen size.
minimum_valid_rt	numeric	The minimum valid response time for key presses during the experiment. Any key press response time that is less than this value will be treated as invalid and ignored. Note that this parameter only applies to keyboard responses, and not to other response types such as buttons and sliders. The default value is 0.
override_safe_mode	boolean	Running a jsPsych experiment directly in a web browser (e.g., by double clicking on a local HTML file) will load the page using the `file://` protocol. Some features of jsPsych don't work with this protocol. By default, when jsPsych detects that it's running on a page loaded via the `file://` protocol, it runs in safe mode, which automatically disables features that don't work in this context. Specifically, the use of Web Audio is disabled (audio will be played using HTML5 audio instead, even if `use_webaudio` is `true`) and video preloading is disabled. The `override_safe_mode` parameter defaults to `false`, but you can set it to `true` to force these features to operate under the `file://` protocol. In order for this to work, you will need to disable web security (CORS) features in your browser - this is safe to do if you know what you are doing. Note that this parameter has no effect when you are running the experiment on a web server, because the page will be loaded via the `http://` or `https://` protocol.
case_sensitive_responses	boolean	If `true`, then jsPsych will make a distinction between uppercase and lowercase keys when evaluating keyboard responses, e.g. "A" (uppercase) will not be recognized as a valid response if the trial only accepts "a" (lowercase). If false, then jsPsych will not make a distinction between uppercase and lowercase keyboard responses, e.g. both "a" and "A" responses will be valid when the trial's key choice parameter is "a". Setting this parameter to false is useful if you want key responses to be treated the same way when CapsLock is turned on or the Shift key is held down. The default value is `false`.
extensions	array	Array containing information about one or more jsPsych extensions that are used during the experiment. Each extension should be specified as an object with `type` (required), which is the name of the extension, and `params` (optional), which is an object containing any parameter-value pairs to be passed to the extension's `initialize` function. Default value is an empty array.

Possible values for the exclusions parameter above.

Parameter	Type	Description
min_width	numeric	The minimum width of the browser window. If the width is below this value, a message will be displayed to the participant asking them to maximize their browser window. The experiment will sit on this page until the browser window is large enough.
min_height	numeric	Same as above, but with height.
audio	boolean	Set to true to require support for the WebAudio API (used by plugins that play audio files).

Return value

Returns a jsPsych instance, which all jsPsych methods on this page are called on. Therefore it is not possible to call any of the jsPsych methods listed on this page until this initJsPsych function is called and a jsPsych instance is created.

Description

This function initializes jsPsych with the specified experiment settings.

Example

var jsPsych = initJsPsych({
  on_finish: function() {
    jsPsych.data.displayData();
  }, 
  show_progress_bar: true,
  default_iti: 500
});

For more examples, see the HTML files in the examples folder.

jsPsych.addNodeToEndOfTimeline

jsPsych.addNodeToEndOfTimeline(node_parameters)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
node_parameters	object	An object defining a timeline. It must have, at a minimum, a `timeline` parameter with a valid timeline array as the value for that parameter.

Return value

None.

Description

Adds the timeline to the end of the experiment.

Example

var trial = {
  type: jsPsychHtmlKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: 'This is a new trial.'
}

var new_timeline = {
  timeline: [trial]
}

jsPsych.addNodeToEndOfTimeline(new_timeline)

jsPsych.endCurrentTimeline

jsPsych.endCurrentTimeline()

Parameters

None.

Return value

None.

Description

Ends the current timeline. If timelines are nested, then only the timeline that contains the current trial is ended.

Example

End timeline if a particular key is pressed

var jsPsych = initJsPsych({
  on_finish: function() {
    jsPsych.data.displayData();
  }
});

var images = [
  "img/1.gif", "img/2.gif", "img/3.gif", "img/4.gif",
  "img/5.gif", "img/6.gif", "img/7.gif", "img/8.gif",
  "img/9.gif", "img/10.gif"
];

var trials = [];
for (var i = 0; i < images.length; i++) {
  trials.push({
    stimulus: images[i]
  });
}

var block = {
  type: jsPsychImageKeyboardResponse,
  choices: ['y', 'n'], 
  prompt: '<p>Press "y" to Continue. Press "n" to end this node of the experiment.</p>',
  on_finish: function(data) {
    if (jsPsych.pluginAPI.compareKeys(data.response, 'n')) {
      jsPsych.endCurrentTimeline();
    }
  },
  timeline: trials
}

var after_block = {
  type: jsPsychHtmlKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: '<p>The next node</p>'
}

jsPsych.run([block, after_block]);

jsPsych.endExperiment

jsPsych.endExperiment(end_message, data)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
end_message	string	A message to display on the screen after the experiment is over. Can include HTML formatting.
data	object	An optional object of key-value pairs to store as data in the final trial of the experiment.

Return value

None.

Description

Ends the experiment, skipping all remaining trials. If the on_finish event handler for jsPsych returns a Promise then the end_message will not be displayed until the promise is resolved.

Example

End the experiment if a particular response is given

var trial = {
  type: jsPsychImageKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: 'image1.jpg',
  choices: ['y', 'n']
  prompt: '<p>Press "y" to Continue. Press "n" to end the experiment</p>',
  on_finish: function(data){
    if(jsPsych.pluginAPI.compareKeys(data.response, "n")){
      jsPsych.endExperiment('The experiment was ended by pressing "n".');
    }
  }
}

jsPsych.evaluateTimelineVariable

jsPsych.evaluateTimelineVariable(variable_name)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
variable_name	string	The name of the variable to evaluate.

Return value

Returns the current value of the corresponding timeline variable.

Description

Unlike jsPsych.timelineVariable(), evaluateTimelineVariable() immediately returns the current value of the timeline variable. It should be used whenever you are in a context where immediate evaluation is appropriate. For example, if you referencing a timeline variable within a function, immediate evaluation is usually correct.

Examples

Invoking timeline variables immediately in a function

const trial = {
  type: jsPsychHtmlKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: function(){
    return `<img style='width:100px; height:100px;' src='${jsPsych.evaluateTimelineVariable('image')}'></img>`;
  }
}

const procedure = {
  timeline: [trial],
  timeline_variables: [
    {image: 'face1.png'},
    {image: 'face2.png'},
    {image: 'face3.png'},
    {image: 'face4.png'}
  ]
}

jsPsych.finishTrial

jsPsych.finishTrial(data)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
data	object	The data to store for the trial.

Return value

Returns nothing.

Description

This method tells jsPsych that the current trial is over. It is used in all of the plugins to end the current trial. When the trial ends a few things happen:

The data is stored using jsPsych.data.write()
The on_finish callback function is executed for the trial
The on_trial_finish callback function is executed
The progress bar is updated if it is being displayed
The experiment ends if the trial is the last one (and the on_finish callback function is executed).
The next trial, if one exists, is started.

Example

// this code would be in a plugin
jsPsych.finishTrial({correct_response: true});

jsPsych.getCurrentTimelineNodeID

jsPsych.getCurrentTimelineNodeID()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns the ID of the TimelineNode that is currently active.

Description

Gets the ID of the active TimelineNode. The ID is a string that follows a specific format:

"0.0" is the ID of the first top-level TimelineNode
"1.0" is the ID of the second top-level TimelineNode
"2.0" is the ID of the third top-level TimelineNode, and so on...

If a TimelineNode iterates multiple times (using the loop function, for example), then the iterations are indicated in the second number:

"0.0" is the ID of the first top-level TimelineNode during the first iteration
"0.1" is the ID of the first top-level TimelineNode during the second iteration
"0.2" is the ID of the first top-level TimelineNode during the third iteration, and so on...

If TimelineNodes are nested in other TimelineNodes, then the hierarchical structure is shown with "-":

"0.0-1.0" is the ID of the second TimelineNode on the timeline of the first top-level TimelineNode.
"0.0-2.0" is the ID of the third TimelineNode on the timeline of the first top-level TimelineNode, and so on...

The rules about iterations apply throughout the hierarchical ID:

"0.2-1.3" is the ID of the second TimelineNode, executing for the fourth time, on the timeline of the first top-level TimelineNode, executing for the third time.

Example

var id = jsPsych.getCurrentTimelineNodeID();
console.log('The current TimelineNode ID is '+id);

jsPsych.getCurrentTrial

jsPsych.getCurrentTrial()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns the object describing the current trial. The object will contain all of the parameters associated with the current trial.

Description

Get a description of the current trial

Example

var trial = jsPsych.getCurrentTrial();
console.log('The current trial is using the '+trial.type+' plugin');

jsPsych.getDisplayElement

jsPsych.getDisplayElement()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns the HTML DOM element used for displaying the experiment.

Description

Get the DOM element that displays the experiment.

Example

var el = jsPsych.getDisplayElement();

// hide the jsPsych display
el.style.visibility = 'hidden';

jsPsych.getInitSettings

jsPsych.getInitSettings()

Parameters

None

Return value

Returns the settings object used to initialize the experiment.

Description

Gets the object containing the settings for the current experiment.

Example

var settings = jsPsych.getInitSettings();

// check the experiment structure
console.log(JSON.stringify(settings.timeline));

jsPsych.getProgress

jsPsych.getProgress()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns an object with the following properties:

Property	Type	Description
total_trials	numeric	Indicates the number of trials in the experiment. Note that this does not count possible loops or skipped trials due to conditional statements.
current_trial_global	numeric	Returns the trial index of the current trial in a global scope. Every trial will increase this count by 1.
percent_complete	numeric	Estimates the percent of the experiment that is complete. Works as expected for experiments without conditional or looping timelines. For complex timelines, the percent is an approximation.

Description

This method returns information about the length of the experiment and the participant's current location in the experiment timeline.

Example

var progress = jsPsych.getProgress();
alert('You have completed approximately '+progress.percent_complete+'% of the experiment');

jsPsych.getProgressBarCompleted

jsPsych.getProgressBarCompleted()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns a value between 0 and 1 representing how full the progress bar currently is.

Description

Used to get the current value of the progress bar. Works for automated and manual control.

Example

var progress_bar_amount = jsPsych.getProgressBarCompleted();

jsPsych.getStartTime

jsPsych.getStartTime()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns a Date object indicating when the experiment began.

Description

Get the time that the experiment began.

Example

var start_time = jsPsych.getStartTime();

jsPsych.getTotalTime

jsPsych.getTotalTime()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns a numeric value indicating the number of milliseconds since jsPsych.run was called.

Description

Gets the total time the participant has been in the experiment.

Example

var time = jsPsych.getTotalTime();
console.log(time);

jsPsych.pauseExperiment

jsPsych.pauseExperiment()

Parameters

None.

Return value

None.

Description

Pauses the experiment. The experiment will finish the current trial, but will not execute any additional trials until jsPsych.resumeExperiment() is called.

Example

var trial = {
  type: jsPsychHtmlKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: 'Press p to take a 30 second break. Otherwise, press c to continue immediately.',
  choices: ['p','c'],
  on_finish: function(data){
    if(jsPsych.pluginAPI.compareKeys(data.response, "p")) { 
      jsPsych.pauseExperiment();
      setTimeout(jsPsych.resumeExperiment, 30000);
    }
  }
}

jsPsych.resumeExperiment

jsPsych.resumeExperiment()

Parameters

None.

Return value

None.

Description

Resumes the experiment after a call to jsPsych.pauseExperiment(). If the post trial delay (post_trial_gap) has not yet been reached, then the experiment will not continue until the delay is finished. For example, if post_trial_gap was 10,000ms and jsPsych.resumeExperiment() was called 6,000ms after the previous trial finished, then the experiment would not continue for another 4,000ms.

Example

var trial = {
  type: jsPsychHtmlKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: 'Press p to take a 30 second break. Otherwise, press c to continue immediately.',
  choices: ['p','c'],
  on_finish: function(data){
    if(jsPsych.pluginAPI.compareKeys(data.response, "p")) { 
      jsPsych.pauseExperiment();
      setTimeout(jsPsych.resumeExperiment, 30000);
    }
  }
}

jsPsych.run

jsPsych.run(timeline)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
timeline	array	An array containing the objects that describe the experiment timeline. See Creating an Experiment: The Timeline.

Return value

None.

Description

Start the jsPsych experiment with the specified timeline.

Example

var timeline = [trial1, trial2, trial3];

jsPsych.run(timeline);

jsPsych.setProgressBar

jsPsych.setProgressBar(value)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
value	numeric	Proprotion (between 0 and 1) to fill the progress bar.

Return value

None.

Description

Set the progress bar to a custom amount. Proportion must be between 0 and 1. Values larger than 1 are treated as 1.

Example

jsPsych.setProgressBar(0.85);

jsPsych.timelineVariable

jsPsych.timelineVariable(variable, call_immediate)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
variable	string	Name of the timeline variable

Return value

Returns a placeholder object that jsPsych uses to evaluate the timeline variable when the trial runs.

Description

Timeline variables are a powerful technique for generating experiments with repetitive procedures but different parameter values. This function fetches the current value of a particular timeline variable. It must be used in conjunction with a timeline that has timeline variables. See the timeline variable section for details.

Examples

Use as a parameter for a trial

var trial = {
  type: jsPsychImageKeyboardResponse,
  stimulus: jsPsych.timelineVariable('image')
}

var procedure = {
  timeline: [trial],
  timeline_variables: [
    {image: 'face1.png'},
    {image: 'face2.png'},
    {image: 'face3.png'},
    {image: 'face4.png'}
  ]
}

jsPsych.version

jsPsych.version()

Parameters

None.

Return value

Returns the version number as a string.

Description

Gets the version of jsPsych.

Example

var version = jsPsych.version();
console.log(version);

21 KiB Raw Blame History

jsPsych

initJsPsych

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.addNodeToEndOfTimeline

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.endCurrentTimeline

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

End timeline if a particular key is pressed

jsPsych.endExperiment

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

End the experiment if a particular response is given

jsPsych.evaluateTimelineVariable

Parameters

Return value

Description

Examples

Invoking timeline variables immediately in a function

jsPsych.finishTrial

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getCurrentTimelineNodeID

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getCurrentTrial

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getDisplayElement

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getInitSettings

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getProgress

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getProgressBarCompleted

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getStartTime

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.getTotalTime

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

jsPsych.pauseExperiment

Parameters

Return value

Description

Example

21 KiB

Raw Blame History