Department of Psychology, Tufts University, 490 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
Behav Res Methods. 2010 Feb;42(1):226-41. doi: 10.3758/BRM.42.1.226.
In the present article, we present a software package, MouseTracker, that allows researchers to use a computer mouse-tracking method for assessing real-time processing in psychological tasks. By recording the streaming x-, y-coordinates of the computer mouse while participants move the mouse into one of multiple response alternatives, motor dynamics of the hand can reveal the time course of mental processes. MouseTracker provides researchers with fine-grained information about the real-time evolution of participant responses by sampling 60-75 times/sec the online competition between multiple response alternatives. MouseTracker allows researchers to develop and run experiments and subsequently analyze mouse trajectories in a user-interactive, graphics-based environment. Experiments may incorporate images, letter strings, and sounds. Mouse trajectories can be processed, averaged, visualized, and explored, and measures of spatial attraction/curvature, complexity, velocity, and acceleration can be computed. We describe the software and the method, and we provide details on mouse trajectory analysis. We validate the software by demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of its trajectory and reaction time data. The latest version of MouseTracker is freely available at http://mousetracker.jbfreeman.net.
在本文中，我们介绍了一个软件包 MouseTracker，它允许研究人员使用计算机鼠标追踪方法来评估心理任务中的实时处理。通过记录参与者将鼠标移动到多个响应选项之一时的鼠标实时 x、y 坐标，手部的运动动力学可以揭示心理过程的时间进程。MouseTracker 通过每秒 60-75 次的在线竞争采样，为研究人员提供了关于参与者实时反应的细粒度信息，从而允许研究人员在用户交互、基于图形的环境中开发和运行实验，随后分析鼠标轨迹。实验可以结合图像、字母串和声音。可以处理、平均、可视化和探索鼠标轨迹，并计算空间吸引力/曲率、复杂性、速度和加速度的度量。我们描述了软件和方法，并提供了有关鼠标轨迹分析的详细信息。我们通过演示其轨迹和反应时间数据的准确性和可靠性来验证该软件。最新版本的 MouseTracker 可在 http://mousetracker.jbfreeman.net 上免费获得。
