Psychology: Research and Review
Tests | Description/objective | Proposals for measurement errors and methodological biases control | |
---|---|---|---|
Inhibition | Stroop | Consists of ignoring the reading of colored words written with non-congruent printing ink (for example, “blue” written in red), to focus on the color of the ink (interfering condition) | -Preliminary control conditions (naming and reading) -Unlimited time, no mistake correction, consideration of time, and errors |
Tapping | Tap or not on the table depending on what the examiner is doing: (1) Go/no go: respond if the examiner types once and inhibit if he types twice. (2) Conflict: antagonistic conditioning (tap once if the examiner taps twice and vice versa) while incorporating a new No go condition (do not tap if the examiner taps with two fingers) | -Preliminary phase of simple conditioning (repeat a motor action in echo) | |
Cross-out Joe | Identify and cross out a visual target (Joe) among several morphologically similar distractors | -Evaluate inhibition in a long-term task | |
Working memory | Verbal updating | Sequentially recall the most recent elements (the last three or four) of a series of letters of varying length | -Task adjusted to span capacities. -Variation in the amount of information to be updated to control the executive load (contrasted with items where no update is required) |
Visuospatial updating | Sequentially recall the most recent items (the last three or four) touched in a series of blocks of varying length | ||
Dual task | Simultaneously perform a figure span task and a visuomotor clown head crossing test | - Preliminary execution of both tasks individually - Task adjusted to span capacities | |
Flexibility | Trail Making Test (TMT) | Connect circles on a sheet of paper that contain numbers or letters, alternating numeric and alphabetical order (1-A-2-B...). | - Control of numerical and alphabetical chain mastery, visual exploration and perceptual-motor skills in two preliminary parts (numbers then letters, respectively) |
Kids Cards Sorting Test (KCST) | Initiate, maintain and change the ranking rule of a series of 48 test cards according to 4 target cards that vary in three dimensions (form, color, number), based on the examiner's feedback | -Only cards that are unambiguous regarding the pairing with the target cards are used - The rules are presented to the child, which reduces the possibility of not understanding the categories | |
Frog test | The child must deduce the logical rules according to which a frog moves around several water lilies disposed in a lake. The child must also adapt to the actions of the frog, which changes the movement rule without previous warning. | - Random and variable rule change to make the test less predictable | |
Planning | Scripts | The child must put in order a sequence of phrases, elaborating a coherent script according to a given title and disconsidering those that are not relevant (intruders) | -New task created to evaluate the child’s ability to anticipate the order necessary for the execution of a daily action |
Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) | Copy the ROCF spontaneously and progressively recopy the figure according to a program consisting of five successive stages of different colors. | -Measurement of the facilitating effect of copying with the program in contrast to spontaneous copying -Rigorous and objective instructions for the evaluation of the precision and location of the figure elements | |
8 Mazes | The test comprises eight mazes of increasing difficulty. For each maze, a dinosaur has to find its way out. The test requires the child to draw, with a pencil, the path connecting the starting point to the maze’s exit. | -Consider time and error |