Analyzing human random generation behavior: A review of methods used and a computer program for describing performance

Towse, John N.; Neil, Derek

doi:10.3758/bf03209475

Cited by 233 publications

(316 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In analysing random generation performance it is common to pre-process response sequences to generate a set of indices of randomness for each sequence (see, e.g., Towse & Neil, 1998). These indices measure different aspects of randomness, and can be treated as the task's dependent measures.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential Contributions of Set-Shifting and Monitoring to Dual-Task Interference

Cooper

Wutke

Davelaar

2012

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

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It is commonly argued that complex behaviour is regulated by a number of "executive functions" which work to co-ordinate the operation of disparate cognitive systems in the service of an overall goal. However, the identity, roles, and interactions of specific putative executive functions remain contentious, even within widely accepted tests of executive function. The authors present two experiments that use dual-task interference to provide further support for multiple distinct executive functions and to establish the differential contributions of those functions in two relatively complex executive tasks -Random Generation and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results are interpreted in terms of process models of the complex executive tasks.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential Contributions of Set-Shifting and Monitoring to Dual-Task Interference

Cooper

Wutke

Davelaar

2012

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

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“…It varies between 0 to 1, with higher indices representing less randomness, which was predicted for the patient group on grounds of their hypothetically enhanced response stereotypy. Further information and mathematical details of these calculations are described elsewhere (Towse & Neil, 1998). Conceptually, both our counting measure (FOD=1) and the TPI primarily rely on frontal executive functions; we did not use a measure tapping more into the working memory components of RNG.…”

Section: Rng Task Performance Measures and Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Random number generation deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis: Characteristics and neural correlates

Geisseler

Pflugshaupt

Buchmann

et al. 2016

Cortex

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Human subjects typically deviate systematically from randomness when attempting to produce a sequence of random numbers. Despite an increasing number of behavioral and functional neuroimaging studies on random number generation (RNG), its structural correlates have never been investigated. We set out to fill this gap in 44 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease whose impact on RNG has never been studied. The RNG task required the paced (1 Hz) generation of the numbers from 1 to 6 in a sequence as random as possible. The same task was administered in 39 matched healthy controls. To assess neuroanatomical correlates such as cortical thickness, lesion load and third ventricle width, all subjects underwent high-resolution structural MRI. Compared to controls, MS patients exhibited an enhanced tendency to arrange consecutive numbers in an ascending order ("forward counting"). Furthermore, patients showed a higher susceptibility to rule breaks (producing out-of-category digits like 7) and to skip beats of the metronome. Clinico-anatomical correlation analyses revealed two main findings: First, increased counting in MS patients was associated with higher cortical lesion load. Second, increased number of skipped beats was related to widespread cortical thinning. In conclusion, our test results illustrate a loss of behavioral complexity in the course of MS, while the imaging results suggest an association between this loss and cortical pathology. AbstractHuman subjects typically deviate systematically from randomness when attempting to produce a sequence of random numbers. Despite an increasing number of behavioral and functional neuroimaging studies on random number generation (RNG), its structural correlates have never been investigated. We set out to fill this gap in 44 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease whose impact on RNG has never been studied. The RNG task required the paced (1 Hz) generation of the numbers from 1 to 6 in a sequence as random as possible. The same task was administered in 39 matched healthy controls. To assess neuroanatomical correlates such as cortical thickness, lesion load and third ventricle width, all subjects underwent high-resolution structural MRI. Compared to controls, MS patients exhibited an enhanced tendency to arrange consecutive numbers in an ascending order ("forward counting"). Furthermore, patients showed a higher susceptibility to rule breaks (producing out-of-category digits like 7) and to skip beats of the metronome. Clinicoanatomical correlation analyses revealed two main findings: First, increased counting in MS patients was associated with higher cortical lesion load. Second, increased number of skipped beats was related to widespread cortical thinning. In conclusion, our test results illustrate a loss of behavioral complexity in the course of multiple sclerosis, while the imaging results suggest an association between this loss and cortical pathology. KeywordsRandom number generation; mental dice task; multiple sclerosis, neural correlates

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“…To control for response stereotypy, a measure of zero-order redundancy and a RNGindex reflecting redundancy on the level of pair frequencies were calculated for each participant's number sequence (Towse & Neil, 1998). SNB in RNG was calculated as the difference between the total occurrence of small numbers (1, 2, 3) and the total occurrence of large numbers (4,5,6).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetric prefrontal cortex functions predict asymmetries in number space

Bachmann

Fischer

Landolt

et al. 2010

Brain and Cognition

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Asymmetric prefrontal cortex functions predict asymmetries in number spaceBachmann, V; Fischer, M H; Landolt, H P; Brugger, P Bachmann, V; Fischer, M H; Landolt, H P; Brugger, P (2010 AbstractLittle is known about the neuropsychological factors that contribute to individual differences in the asymmetric orientation along the mental number line. The present study documents healthy subjects' preference for small numbers over large numbers in a random number generation task. This preference, referred to as "small number bias" (SNB), varied with prefrontal functional lateralization: it was larger in participants with over-proportionately better performance in design fluency compared to letter fluency than in participants with overproportionately better performance in letter fluency when compared to design fluency.Asymmetries in learning and memory tasks (verbal vs. non-verbal) were not related to direction or size of the SNB. We conclude that hemispheric asymmetries of specifically prefrontal executive functions are predictive of an individual's lateral orientation bias along the mental number line. Therefore, the focus on parietal contributions to spatial-numerical associations may not be justified. Random number generation may be a helpful method to further explore these associations uncontaminated by the asymmetric involvement of response effectors.

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Analyzing human random generation behavior: A review of methods used and a computer program for describing performance

Cited by 233 publications

References 21 publications

Differential Contributions of Set-Shifting and Monitoring to Dual-Task Interference

Differential Contributions of Set-Shifting and Monitoring to Dual-Task Interference

Random number generation deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis: Characteristics and neural correlates

Asymmetric prefrontal cortex functions predict asymmetries in number space

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