The new MLP toolbox (beta version)
Version (2.01 - 04/02/09 - paper online)
The MLP's companion paper is now pubblished. Here the full reference (and the pdf):
Grassi, M., Soranzo, A. (2009). MLP: a MATLAB toolbox for rapid and reliable auditory threshold estimations. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 20-28.
Version (2.01 - 15/01/09 - bug fixed)
Thanks to bug-searching users we fixed a MLP-bug for MAC and UNIX operative systems. Now, MLP works with no trouble with all operative systems. Moreover, we can now provide the full reference for the MLP's companion paper:
Grassi, M., Soranzo, A. (2009). MLP: a MATLAB toolbox for rapid and reliable auditory threshold estimations. Behavior Research Methods, 41(1), 20-28.
Click here to download the new (and bug-free) toolbox.
Version (2.01 - 11/11/08)
(Please note that in the following text the word "level" refers to a any
physical parameter you are manipulating with the maximum likelihood procedure)
The two main modifications are:
[1] it is possible now to repeat the first trial until the subject does not return a correct response. This is a pragmatic addition. The maximum likelihood procedure mistrack (largely) the subject's threshold if the subjects lapses an easy trial (Green, 1995). Because the first trial is usually the easiest, a lapse on the first trial returns a very bad threshold estimation. If the "repeat 1th trial" option is enabled, the first trial is repeated until the subject does not return a positive/correct answer.
[2] you can now edit the "level of the standard stimulus" within the graphical interface.
- Case 1. Let suppose the experiment is a frequency discrimination threshold for a 1-kHz pure tone. The frequency of the standard tone (i.e., 1-kHz) can be now set through the interface. In other words, if you want to run the same experiment with a 2-kHz standard tone you don't need any more open the experiment.m file but you can do it directly through the interface.
- Case 2. In case of detection experiments. If the experiment is a detection using a yes/no procedure the "standard level" becomes the "catch trial level". In other words, if you decide to use catch trials, when a catch trial is presented it will be presented the "level" of the stimulus written in the "standard (or catch) stimulus level" field.
- Case 3. There is a case 3, i.e., an alternative way to use the "standard level" field. However, this requires a bit of understanding of the program so please ask us directly.
In any case, the meaning of the "standard level" is written in each experiment (type help experimentname) as well as it is visualised when the experiment is selected at the top of the graphical interface.
Version (2.00 - 23/09/08)
The new main features of the new MLP toolbox are the following:
- it is now possible to provide feedback to the subject (in nAFC tasks);
- it is now possible to change and permanently save the defaults parameters for each single experiment separately, including those programmed by the experimenter. In the previous version the changes in the parameters were saved only within the working session and they were general. The saved default parameters are written in a m file that is stored in a subfolder (i.e., MLDefaultsPar) of the toolbox.
The installation process is identical to that of the previous version. Please refer to the MLP official web page for the instructions. The new toolbox contains two new experiments (i.e., TemporalChangeDetection and PitchChangeDetection) that are inspired by a recent article by Hyde and Peretz [i.e., Hyde, K. L., Peretz, I. (2004). Brains that are out of tune but in time. Psichological Science, 15, 356-360.]
Click here to see the updated list of available experiments.