drkstarks / bart-balloon-test

Implementation of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) in JavaScript

BART

Implementation of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) in JavaScript.

Includes two BART versions:

• The directory StandardBalloon contains the original version, as described in Lejuez et al. (2002)
• The directory PressureBalloon contains a modified short version of the BART, which is inspired by the automated BART, as seen in Pleskac et al. (2008)

Running the BART

In order to run the BART, just open the respective index.html file for one of the BART versions. In addition to the script.js and the style.css file, the jQuery and jQuery UI libraries must be embedded into the .html files for the BART to work.

• http://jquery.com/
• http://jqueryui.com/

Note that the jQuery UI libraries is not necessary to run the BART, but it will produce a nice little animation when the balloon explodes, so you might want to use it.

You might want to consider replacing the image of the balloon Balloon.png image by a nicer one, but feel free to use this one if you do not have access to a better image.

Data storage

If you consider using this BART version in your online study, you will have to implement some data storage function that transfers the collected data -- i.e. the number of pumps per round and whether an explosion has occurred -- to your server. This means that you will have to replace the function store_data in the script.js file. It should transfer the arrays number_pumps and exploded encoding the number of pumps and whether an explosion has occurred, respectively, for each round.

Also, you will probably have to ensure that the page containing the BART will be submitted after it has been played. Currently there is an event bound to a button #goOn submitting the page, but you will have to insert code so that this event actually triggers the page to submit in the environment that you are using.

License

This repository is in the public domain. Feel free to do with it whatever you like. I like hearing from people, so if you have any questions or comments feel to write an e-mail to me.

References

Lejuez, C. W., Read, J. P., Kahler, C. W., Richards, J. B., Ramsey, S. E., Stuart, G. L., Strong, D. R. & Brown, R. A. (2002). Evaluation of a behavioral measure of risk taking: the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8(2), 75-84.

Pleskac, T. J., Wallsten, T. S., Wang, P., & Lejuez, C. W. (2008). Development of an Automatic Response Mode to Improve the Clinical Utility of Sequential Risk-Taking Tasks. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 16(6), 555-564.