Luck & Vogel Visual WM Task
System Requirements
Minimum: 900×800
Recommended: 1024×800
Description
Visual working memory task that requires participants to detect changes in arrays of colored objects, measuring visual working memory capacity.
Measures: Visual working memory capacity, change detection, visual attention
visual working memory attention perception
Ages: 18+ · Populations: adults, research, clinical
About This Test
Participants view arrays of colored squares (1-12 items) presented briefly (300ms default), followed by a delay (1000ms default), then a second array. They must judge whether the second array is identical to the first or if one color has changed. Left shift key indicates 'same', right shift key indicates 'different'. The task includes practice trials with feedback demonstrating both same and different trials, followed by the main test with configurable set sizes and trials per condition. Feedback can be provided during the test (configurable).
- Uses color-blind safe color palette (orange, skyblue, bluegreen, yellow, vermillion, white, black)
- Task includes practice trials with examples of both 'same' and 'different' trials before main test
- Set sizes are configurable via parameters (default: 1,2,3,4,8,12 items)
- Trials are fully counterbalanced across set sizes and same/different conditions
- Optional rest breaks after every N trials (configurable via blocksize parameter)
- Audio feedback (correct.ogg, buzz500ms.ogg) is optional and configurable
Test Details
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Scientific Background
Original Task References:
These references describe the original task that this PEBL implementation is based on.
- Luck, S. J., & Vogel, E. K. (1997). The capacity of visual working memory for features and conjunctions. Nature, 390(6657), 279-281.
PEBL-Specific References:
These studies used the PEBL version of this task.
- Mueller, S. T., & Piper, B. J. (2014). The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) and PEBL Test Battery. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 222, 250-259.
Validation status: Validated · Psychometric data available · Normative data available
Classic visual working memory paradigm introduced by Luck & Vogel (1997). This PEBL implementation maintains the core task structure while allowing flexible configuration of set sizes, timing, and feedback. The task is widely used to estimate visual working memory capacity (K), typically calculated as K = S × (H - F) where S is set size, H is hit rate, and F is false alarm rate.
Data Output
Creates one CSV data file with trial-level information including set size, same/different condition, response, accuracy, and reaction time.
Key Variables
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| abstime | Absolute time in milliseconds from experiment start to response |
| size | Number of colored squares in the array (set size) |
| same | Condition: 1=arrays are identical, 0=one color changed |
| resp | Response: <lshift>=same, <rshift>=different |
| corr | Accuracy: 1=correct response, 0=incorrect |
| rt | Reaction time in milliseconds from second array onset to response |
Example Data
| subnum | trial | prestime | delay | size | same | resp | corr | rt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| example | 1 | 300 | 1000 | 2 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 964 |
| example | 2 | 300 | 1000 | 1 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 1024 |
| example | 3 | 300 | 1000 | 3 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 993 |
| example | 4 | 300 | 1000 | 4 | 1 | <lshift> | 0 | 1234 |
| example | 5 | 300 | 1000 | 1 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 1294 |
| example | 6 | 300 | 1000 | 4 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 2589 |
| example | 7 | 300 | 1000 | 3 | 1 | <rshift> | 1 | 2085 |
| example | 8 | 300 | 1000 | 3 | 0 | <lshift> | 1 | 2015 |
| example | 9 | 300 | 1000 | 8 | 1 | <lshift> | 0 | 1040 |
Sample data showing typical output format. Actual values will vary by participant.
About This Test
Visual working memory task that requires participants to detect changes in arrays of colored objects, measuring visual working memory capacity.
Category: Memory
Estimated Duration: 15 minutes
Available Translations: 7 languages
Documentation Sources:
Test description file, Test implementation, Parameter schema
Documentation Status: Standard