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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.06.06.543796

Continuous Measures of Decision-Difficulty Captured Remotely: I. Mouse-tracking sensitivity extends to tablets and smartphones

Zuk, A. A. O.·Bertrand, J. K.·Chapman, C. S.
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Abstract

As decisions require actions to have an effect on the world, measures derived from movements such as using a mouse to control a cursor on a screen provide powerful and dynamic indices of decision-making. In this first of a set of two studies, we replicated classic reach-decision paradigms across computers, tablets, and smartphones, we show that portable touch-devices can sensitively capture decision-difficulty. We see this in pre- and during-movement temporal and motoric measures across diverse decision domains. We found touchscreen interactions to more sensitively reflect decision-difficulty during movement compared to computer interactions, and the latter to be more sensitive before movement initiation. Paired with additional evidence for the flexibility and unique utility of pre- and during-movement measures, this substantiates the use of widely available touch-devices to massively extend the reach of decision science. We build upon this in the second study in this series (Bertrand et al., 2023) with the use of webcam eye-tracking to further elucidate, earlier in time, the decision process. This subsequent work provides additional support for tools that enable remote collection of rich decision data in ecologically-valid environments.

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Zuk, A. A. O., Bertrand, J. K., Chapman, C. S.. 2023-06-07. Continuous Measures of Decision-Difficulty Captured Remotely: I. Mouse-tracking sensitivity extends to tablets and smartphones. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.06.543796

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