Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making
Background. The Psychology Experimental Building Language (PEBL) test battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net/) is a popular application for neurobehavioral investigations. This study evaluated the correspondence between the PEBL and the non-PEBL versions of four executive function tests. Methods. In o...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PeerJ Inc.
2016-03-01
|
| Series: | PeerJ |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/1772.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797418298843856896 |
|---|---|
| author | Brian Piper Shane T. Mueller Sara Talebzadeh Min Jung Ki |
| author_facet | Brian Piper Shane T. Mueller Sara Talebzadeh Min Jung Ki |
| author_sort | Brian Piper |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. The Psychology Experimental Building Language (PEBL) test battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net/) is a popular application for neurobehavioral investigations. This study evaluated the correspondence between the PEBL and the non-PEBL versions of four executive function tests. Methods. In one cohort, young-adults (N = 44) completed both the Conner’s Continuous Performance Test (CCPT) and the PEBL CPT (PCPT) with the order counter-balanced. In a second cohort, participants (N = 47) completed a non-computerized (Wechsler) and a computerized (PEBL) Digit Span (WDS or PDS) both Forward and Backward. Participants also completed the Psychological Assessment Resources or the PEBL versions of the Iowa Gambling Task (PARIGT or PEBLIGT). Results. The between-test correlations were moderately high (reaction time r = 0.78, omission errors r = 0.65, commission errors r = 0.66) on the CPT. DS Forward was significantly greater than DS Backward on the WDS (p < .0005) and the PDS (p < .0005). The total WDS score was moderately correlated with the PDS (r = 0.56). The PARIGT and the PEBLIGTs showed a very similar pattern for response times across blocks, development of preference for Advantageous over Disadvantageous Decks, and Deck selections. However, the amount of money earned (score–loan) was significantly higher in the PEBLIGT during the last Block. Conclusions. These findings are broadly supportive of the criterion validity of the PEBL measures of sustained attention, short-term memory, and decision making. Select differences between workalike versions of the same test highlight how detailed aspects of implementation may have more important consequences for computerized testing than has been previously acknowledged. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:30:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2503566f0c894f67a90dcef0573a66e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:30:45Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-2503566f0c894f67a90dcef0573a66e32023-12-03T11:05:36ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592016-03-014e177210.7717/peerj.1772Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision makingBrian Piper0Shane T. Mueller1Sara Talebzadeh2Min Jung Ki3Neuroscience Program, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United StatesCognitive and Learning Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Husson University, Bangor, ME, United StatesSchool of Pharmacy, Husson University, Bangor, ME, United StatesBackground. The Psychology Experimental Building Language (PEBL) test battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net/) is a popular application for neurobehavioral investigations. This study evaluated the correspondence between the PEBL and the non-PEBL versions of four executive function tests. Methods. In one cohort, young-adults (N = 44) completed both the Conner’s Continuous Performance Test (CCPT) and the PEBL CPT (PCPT) with the order counter-balanced. In a second cohort, participants (N = 47) completed a non-computerized (Wechsler) and a computerized (PEBL) Digit Span (WDS or PDS) both Forward and Backward. Participants also completed the Psychological Assessment Resources or the PEBL versions of the Iowa Gambling Task (PARIGT or PEBLIGT). Results. The between-test correlations were moderately high (reaction time r = 0.78, omission errors r = 0.65, commission errors r = 0.66) on the CPT. DS Forward was significantly greater than DS Backward on the WDS (p < .0005) and the PDS (p < .0005). The total WDS score was moderately correlated with the PDS (r = 0.56). The PARIGT and the PEBLIGTs showed a very similar pattern for response times across blocks, development of preference for Advantageous over Disadvantageous Decks, and Deck selections. However, the amount of money earned (score–loan) was significantly higher in the PEBLIGT during the last Block. Conclusions. These findings are broadly supportive of the criterion validity of the PEBL measures of sustained attention, short-term memory, and decision making. Select differences between workalike versions of the same test highlight how detailed aspects of implementation may have more important consequences for computerized testing than has been previously acknowledged.https://peerj.com/articles/1772.pdfAttentionDecision makingIowa Gambling TaskShort-term memory |
| spellingShingle | Brian Piper Shane T. Mueller Sara Talebzadeh Min Jung Ki Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making PeerJ Attention Decision making Iowa Gambling Task Short-term memory |
| title | Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making |
| title_full | Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making |
| title_short | Evaluation of the validity of the Psychology Experiment Building Language tests of vigilance, auditory memory, and decision making |
| title_sort | evaluation of the validity of the psychology experiment building language tests of vigilance auditory memory and decision making |
| topic | Attention Decision making Iowa Gambling Task Short-term memory |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/1772.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brianpiper evaluationofthevalidityofthepsychologyexperimentbuildinglanguagetestsofvigilanceauditorymemoryanddecisionmaking AT shanetmueller evaluationofthevalidityofthepsychologyexperimentbuildinglanguagetestsofvigilanceauditorymemoryanddecisionmaking AT saratalebzadeh evaluationofthevalidityofthepsychologyexperimentbuildinglanguagetestsofvigilanceauditorymemoryanddecisionmaking AT minjungki evaluationofthevalidityofthepsychologyexperimentbuildinglanguagetestsofvigilanceauditorymemoryanddecisionmaking |