Text component group

The text component group is a discrete component group for the management of text items that form stimulus components (or that form part of more complex component groups or components). Each text item can be associated with factors and levels and can be formatted and manipulated via variables. The screen contains a section on the left hand side for managing text items and a section on the right hand side for managing variables. The splitter (Figure 1) can be dragged to to allow customization of the screen layout, and the chevron left symbol button on the top of the splitter expands and chevron right symbol collapses the panel.

Figure 1. Discrete component group screen splitter

Adding text items

Text items can be imported from a CSV file by clicking Import. We recommend creating your text items in a spreadsheet (Figure 1) and saving them as CSV files rather than creating them by hand. The CSV files should be in the following format:

Header row with a single column Component (case insensitive).
One row for each text item.

Figure 1. Example text item spreadsheet (Psychstudio)

Figure 1. Example text item spreadsheet

Adding text items with factors and levels

Text items can also be imported along with their factors and levels from a CSV file which both associates the items themselves with their corresponding factors and levels and populates the study factors and levels (at the study tree root) if they do not already exist. The CSV files should be in the following format:

Header row with a column Component (case insensitive) and a column for each relevant factor Factor:name.
One row for each text item with the text itself in the component column and the relevant levels in their corresponding factor columns.

As shown below (Figure 2), we have two factors: Goodness and Word Category. Goodness has two levels: Good and Bad. Word Category has three levels: Thing, Person and Place (only Thing level shown here).

Figure 2. Example text item spreadsheet with factors and levels (Psychstudio)

Figure 2. Example text item spreadsheet with factors and levels

Removing text items

Text items can be removed by selecting the item using the checkbox and clicking Delete in the toolbar above the text items table. You can also select and delete multiple items at once.

Reordering text items

The order of text items can be changed by dragging and dropping.

Adding variables to the component group

Variables can be imported from a CSV file by clicking Import variables. See Component group variables for details.

Removing variables from the component group

Variables can be deleted by clicking on Delete variables. See Component group variables for details.

WARNING: Deleting variables will remove:

any trials rules containing values belonging to any of the variables deleted.

Associating variables with a text item

Variables can be associated with a text item by selecting them from the Variables dropdown list (Figure 3) and clicking Save. Text injection variables are associated implicitly and therefore do not need to be explicitly associated. Alternatively, the Associating variables with multiple text items method below can also be used.

Figure 3. Associating variables with a text item

Associating variables with multiple text items

Variables can be associated with one or more text items by first selecting the items (using their respective checkboxes) and then selecting Add variables in the toolbar above the text items table.

Dissociating variables from a text item

Variables can be dissociated from a text item by clicking the x on their label (Figure 3) and clicking Save. Alternatively, the Dissociating variables from multiple text items method below can also be used.

Dissociating variables from multiple text items

Variables can be dissociated from one or more text items by first selecting the items (using their respective checkboxes) and then selecting Remove variables in the toolbar above the text items table.

Injection and manipulation of text using variables

Psychstudio is capable of powerful text manipulation with variables. See manipulating text with variables for a full rundown.

Associating levels with a text item

Levels can be associated with a text item by selecting them from the Levels dropdown list (Figure 3) and clicking Save. Alternatively, the Associating levels with multiple text items method below can also be used.

Figure 3. Associating levels with a text item

Associating levels with multiple text items

Levels can be associated with one or more text items by first selecting the items (using their respective checkboxes) and then selecting Add levels in the toolbar above the text items table.

Dissociating levels from a text item

Levels can be dissociated from a text item by clicking the x on their label (Figure 3) and clicking Save. Alternatively, the Dissociating levels from multiple text items method below can also be used.

Dissociating levels from multiple text items

Levels can be dissociated from one or more text items by first selecting the items (using their respective checkboxes) and then selecting Remove levels in the toolbar above the text items table.