Toulouse N-back Task (TNT)

Memory Duration: ~15 minutes
Toulouse N-back Task (TNT) screenshot

System Requirements

🖥️
Screen Size:
Minimum: 1280×800
Recommended: 1280×800
⌨️
Keyboard required

Description

Working memory task that requires participants to monitor and respond to arithmetic problems, comparing current stimuli to those presented n trials back (0-back, 1-back, or 2-back conditions).

About This Test

Participants view a series of simple arithmetic problems (e.g., '20+30', '95-50') and press the right arrow key when the current problem matches a target (0-back: equals 50; 1-back: same result as previous problem; 2-back: same result as two problems back). Left arrow indicates non-target. The task begins with examples of each condition, then presents 0-back, 1-back, and 2-back blocks in randomized order (2 repetitions each) with rest periods between blocks. Each block contains 12 active stimuli and feedback is provided during training.

Test Details

Test ID:
TNT
Main File:
TNT.pbl
Parameters:
9 configurable parameters
Languages:
German English Spanish French Italian Dutch Portuguese

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Scientific Background

Original Task References:

These references describe the original task that this PEBL implementation is based on.

  • Mandrick, K., Peysakhovich, V., Rémy, F., Lepron, E., & Causse, M. (2016). Neural and psychophysiological correlates of human performance under stress and high mental workload. Biological psychology, 121, 62-73.

PEBL-Specific References:

These studies used the PEBL version of this task.

  • Hu M., Mouratille D., Imbert J.-P., & Causse M. (Year unknown). PEBL adaptation of the Toulouse N-back Task. Computer software.

Data Output

Creates two data files: (1) TNT-Details-<SUBNUM>.csv with trial-level data including n-back condition, trial number, target status, response, reaction time, and response classification; (2) TNT-Report-<SUBNUM>.txt with block-level summary statistics including accuracy metrics (true/false positives/negatives) and mean reaction times for correct/incorrect responses.

Example Data

example-data-details.csv Primary

Trial-by-trial data with columns: subnum, type (zero/one/two for n-back level), trialnum, target (0=non-target, 1=target), resp (0=left arrow, 1=right arrow), rT (reaction time in ms), resptype (true positive/negative, false positive/negative)

subnumtypetrialnumtargetresprTresptype
examplezero2102196false negative
examplezero3001547true negative
examplezero411824true positive
examplezero5001219true negative
examplezero6001371true negative
examplezero7001247true negative
examplezero8111104true positive
examplezero9001018true negative
examplezero10001003true negative

View full file (73 rows) →

example-data-report.txt Summary

Summary statistics for each block including: participant number, n-back type, target amount, number of misses, correct/incorrect responses, true/false positives/negatives, mean RT for correct and incorrect responses

Participant number : example
Type : zero-back
Target Amount 4
Number of misses : 0
Number of correct responses : 10
Number of incorrect responses : 2
Number of true positives : 3
Number of true negatives : 7
Number of false positives : 1
Number of false negatives : 1

View full file (72 rows) →

Sample data showing typical output format. Actual values will vary by participant.

About This Test

Working memory task that requires participants to monitor and respond to arithmetic problems, comparing current stimuli to those presented n trials back (0-back, 1-back, or 2-back conditions).

Category: Memory
Estimated Duration: 15 minutes
Available Translations: 7 languages

Documentation Sources:
Test description file, Test implementation, Parameter schema

Documentation Status: Standard