Attention Network Test (ANT)

Field	Value
Name	Attention Network Test (ANT)
Version	main (1.0)
URL / Repository	https://github.com/TaskBeacon/ANT
Short Description	A task measuring alerting, orienting, and executive control networks.
Created By	Zhipeng Cao (zhipeng30@foxmail.com)
Date Updated	2025/07/29
PsyFlow Version	0.1.0
PsychoPy Version	2025.1.1
Modality	Behavior/EEG
Language	Chinese
Voice Name	zh-CN-YunyangNeural

1. Task Overview

The Attention Network Test (ANT) is a classic experimental paradigm used to assess the efficiency of three distinct attentional networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Participants are presented with a central target stimulus (an arrow) flanked by other stimuli (arrows). They are instructed to respond to the direction of the central target while ignoring the flanking stimuli. The task measures how efficiently a participant can focus on a target and filter out distracting information, and how warning and spatial cues affect their performance.

2. Task Flow

Block-Level Flow

Step	Description
Load Config	Load task configuration from config.yaml.
Collect Subject Info	Display a form to collect participant demographics.
Setup Triggers	Initialize the trigger sender for EEG/fMRI synchronization.
Initialize Window/Input	Create the PsychoPy window and keyboard handler.
Load Stimuli	Load all visual stimuli defined in the config using StimBank.
Show Instructions	Present task instructions to the participant.
Loop Over Blocks	For each block: run trials, then compute and show block-level feedback.
Show Goodbye	Display a final thank you message.
Save Data	Save all recorded trial data to a CSV file.
Close	Close the trigger port and quit PsychoPy.

Trial-Level Flow

Step	Description
Fixation	Show a central fixation cross (+).
Cue (Optional)	A cue may appear to alert the participant (center cue), direct their attention (spatial cue), or both (double cue).
Stimulus	Present the Flanker stimulus (e.g., >>><>>) at either the top or bottom of the screen.
Response	Record the participant’s key press (left or right).
Feedback	Display feedback (Correct, Incorrect, or Too Slow).
ITI	A blank screen shown for a random duration before the next trial.

3. Configuration Summary

a. Subject Info

Field	Meaning
subject_id	Unique participant ID (3 digits).
subname	Participant’s name (Pinyin).
age	Participant’s age.
gender	Participant’s gender.

b. Window Settings

Standard PsychoPy window settings for fullscreen display.

c. Stimuli

Name	Type	Description
fixation	text	Central cross +.
cue_up	text	Cue * at the top of the screen.
cue_down	text	Cue * at the bottom of the screen.
cue_center	text	Cue * at the center of the screen.
congruent_up_left	text	<<<<< at the top of the screen.
congruent_up_right	text	>>>>> at the top of the screen.
incongruent_up_left	text	>><>> at the top of the screen.
incongruent_up_right	text	<<><< at the top of the screen.
congruent_down_left	text	<<<<< at the bottom of the screen.
congruent_down_right	text	>>>>> at the bottom of the screen.
incongruent_down_left	text	>><>> at the bottom of the screen.
incongruent_down_right	text	<<><< at the bottom of the screen.
correct_feedback	textbox	“正确” (Correct) in green.
incorrect_feedback	textbox	“错误” (Incorrect) in red.
no_response_feedback	textbox	“太慢” (Too Slow) in orange.
instruction_text	textbox	Instructions explaining the task.
block_break	text	Inter-block message showing accuracy and RT.
good_bye	text	Final thank you message.

d. Timing

Phase	Duration (s)	Config Variable
cue	0.1	cue_duration
fixation	0.5	fixation_duration
stimulus	1.0 (max response time)	stim_duration
feedback	0.5	feedback_duration
iti	random 0.8–1.2	iti_duration

e. Triggers

Event	Code
exp_onset	254
exp_end	255
block_onset	252
block_end	253
fixation_onset	1
center_cue_onset	11
double_cue_onset	12
spatial_cue_up_onset	13
spatial_cue_down_onset	14
stim_1111	21
stim_1112	22
stim_1121	23
stim_1122	24
stim_1211	25
stim_1212	26
stim_1221	27
stim_1222	28
stim_2111	31
stim_2112	32
stim_2121	33
stim_2122	34
stim_2211	35
stim_2212	36
stim_2221	37
stim_2222	38
stim_3111	41
stim_3112	42
stim_3121	43
stim_3122	44
stim_3211	45
stim_3212	46
stim_3221	47
stim_3222	48
stim_4111	51
stim_4112	52
stim_4121	53
stim_4122	54
stim_4211	55
stim_4212	56
stim_4221	57
stim_4222	58
left_key_press	201
right_key_press	202
feedback_correct_response	221
feedback_incorrect_response	222
feedback_no_response	223
feedback_onset	230

4. Methods (for academic publication)

In this experiment, participants performed an Attention Network Test (ANT) to assess the efficiency of three attentional networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Each trial began with a central fixation cross, displayed for 500 ms. On some trials, a cue was presented for 100ms prior to the target. This cue could be a central cue (an asterisk at fixation), a double cue (asterisks at both possible target locations), a spatial cue (an asterisk at the location of the upcoming target), or no cue. Subsequently, a row of five arrows was presented at either the top or bottom of the screen for up to 1000 ms or until a response was made. Participants were instructed to respond to the direction of the central arrow while ignoring the flanking arrows by pressing the ‘f’ key for a left-pointing central arrow or the ‘j’ key for a right-pointing central arrow. Following their response, feedback was provided for 500 ms, indicating whether the response was correct, incorrect, or too slow.

The task included two types of stimuli: congruent trials, where all arrows pointed in the same direction (e.g., ‘>>>>>’ or ‘<<<<<’), and incongruent trials, where the flanking arrows pointed in the opposite direction from the central target arrow (e.g., ‘>><>>’ or ‘<<><<’). These conditions were presented in a randomized order within each block. The task was structured into 4 blocks of 96 trials each (total 384 trials), with equal numbers of each condition. After each block, participants received feedback on their accuracy and were given the opportunity to rest before continuing to the next block. The inter-trial interval varied randomly between 800 and 1200 ms to prevent anticipatory responses.

This design allows for the examination of the three attentional networks by calculating the following subtractions in reaction time:

• Alerting Effect: No Cue RT - Double Cue RT

• Orienting Effect: Center Cue RT - Spatial Cue RT

• Executive Control Effect (Flanker Effect): Incongruent RT - Congruent RT

5. References

1. Fan, J., McCandliss, B. D., Sommer, T., Raz, a., & Posner, M. I. (2002). Testing the efficiency and independence of attentional networks. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14(3), 340-347.

2. Eriksen, B. A., & Eriksen, C. W. (1974). Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task. Perception & Psychophysics, 16(1), 143-149.