Two-Column Addition Test
Description
Mental arithmetic task requiring rapid addition of three two-digit numbers presented vertically
About This Test
The Two-Column Addition Test assesses mental arithmetic ability by requiring participants to rapidly add three two-digit numbers. **Procedure**: Three two-digit numbers (ranging from 11-99, no zeros) are presented vertically in columnar format. Participants must mentally calculate the sum and enter their answer using the keyboard number keys. The answer must be entered left-to-right (hundreds digit first, then tens, then ones if applicable). Participants can use backspace to correct mistakes before pressing Enter to confirm. **Timing**: Each problem has a 15-second time limit. If participants fail to respond within this time, a buzzer sounds and the next problem appears. Practice trials provide feedback on accuracy and response time; test trials do not. **Phases**: 1. **Practice Phase** (10 trials by default): Problems with feedback showing correct/incorrect and response time 2. **Test Phase** (45 trials by default): Problems without feedback **Scoring**: The test records accuracy, response time to first keypress, completion time, number of keystrokes, and whether timeout occurred. This provides measures of both speed and accuracy in mental arithmetic.
Test Details
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Scientific Background
Original Task References:
These references describe the original task that this PEBL implementation is based on.
- Wilkinson, R. T., & Houghton, D. (1975). Field test of arousal: A portable reaction timer with data storage. Human Factors, 17(4), 335-342.
PEBL-Specific References:
These studies used the PEBL version of this task.
- Mueller, S. T. (2011). The PEBL Two-column addition test. Computer software retrieved from http://pebl.sf.net.
Data Output
twocol-{subnum}.csv
Data Columns
| Column Name | Description |
|---|---|
| sub | Participant ID |
| cond | Trial condition (practice vs test phase) |
| trial | Trial number within condition |
| num1 | First (top) number in addition problem |
| num2 | Second (middle) number in addition problem |
| num3 | Third (bottom) number in addition problem |
| sum | Correct sum of the three numbers |
| resp | Participant's entered response (0 if timeout) |
| corr | Response accuracy |
| toolong | Whether response exceeded timeout (15s default) |
| clicks | Total number of keystrokes (including backspace and enter) |
| starttime | Problem onset time in milliseconds (relative to test start) |
| firstclick | Time to first keypress in milliseconds (-1 if timeout before any key) |
| completetime | Total time to complete response in milliseconds |
Scoring and Interpretation
About This Test
Mental arithmetic task requiring rapid addition of three two-digit numbers presented vertically
Category: Processing Speed
Estimated Duration: 10 minutes
Available Translations: 7 languages
Documentation Sources:
Test description file, Test implementation, Parameter schema
Documentation Status: Complete