Human survey draft for co-author review
| Sample | N ≈ 250 on Prolific, balanced by sex (≈125 men / ≈125 women) |
|---|---|
| Device | Desktop or laptop only — the grid task needs a real pointer |
| Length | ≈ 20 minutes |
| Pay | $5 flat for completing it (≈$15/hr, above Prolific's ≈$12/hr floor), plus a $2 bonus to the top 10% on each timed task — best of three attempts, ties broken by speed where possible, ranked after collection and paid via Prolific. Maximum $4 in bonuses, so up to $9 per participant. |
| Budget | ≈$1,250 in base pay + ≈$100 in bonuses + Prolific's fee ≈ $1,800 |
| Approval | Runs under the existing UT IRB approval, with a rewritten Procedures paragraph. UT IRB only — not UMD. |
PROLIFIC_PID from the Prolific URL parameter.consentanti_aiprolific_idtask_zip_introtask_zip_retrytask_zip_attemptstask_rotationperceptiondemographicsdebrief — one block per section below. Each block section tells you how many questions it holds, what type each one is, and gives you its HTML and JavaScript to paste.| Set Embedded Data | All 74 fields listed below, every value left blank. This must be the first element in the flow. |
| Set Embedded Data | PROLIFIC_PID, STUDY_ID and SESSION_ID captured from the Prolific URL parameters. Prolific recommends all three; SESSION_ID is what disambiguates a participant who re-enters the study. |
| Block | consent |
| Branch | If consent_agree = “I do not agree” → End of Survey, flagged Screened, redirecting to the Prolific screen-out URL. |
| Block | anti_ai |
| Block | prolific_id |
| Set Embedded Data | module_order = perf_first. To switch to a 50/50 order randomization later, replace this element with a Randomizer over the two module orders and branch on the value. |
| Block | task_zip_intro PERFORMANCE MODULE — instructions and the comprehension check |
| Branch | If comp_select or comp_bonus is wrong → block task_zip_retry, then Set Embedded Data comp_retry = 1. On the pass path set comp_retry = 0, so blank never means “passed”. This branch has to sit HERE, between the intro and the attempts — a Qualtrics branch cannot run inside a block, so with the check and the attempts together the retry came after all three scored rounds. |
| Block | task_zip_attempts PERFORMANCE MODULE — the three scored attempts |
| Block | task_rotation PERFORMANCE MODULE |
| Block | perception — the cognitive tasks |
| Block | perception_anchors — the two sanity-check extremes, on their own page and last |
| Block | demographics |
| Branch | If the instructed attention row = “Disagree” → set attn_pass = 1; else → set attn_pass = 0. Both branches are required: with only the pass branch a genuine failure looks identical to a break-off before the grid. The grid and these branches must sit in separate blocks, and attn_pass must be declared before them. |
| Block | debrief |
| End of Survey | Redirect to the Prolific completion URL. |
-1. The previous build did, and a -1 in the export then means three indistinguishable things: the JS never ran, the write never committed, or the participant never reached that question. A blank makes all three visibly missing. This list is generated from the same source the task JS derives its field names from, so the two cannot disagree.consent holding 2 questions on 1 page, in the order below.The following message outlines the purpose of the study and asks for your consent to participate. To indicate that you accept, click the button at the bottom of the page.
Purpose of the Study
This research is being conducted by Nathan Barrymore, Cristian Dező and Yongyi Lin at the
University of Maryland and at the University of Texas. We are inviting you to participate in this
research project to generate new knowledge. The purpose of this research project is to better
understand performance and problem-solving.
Procedures
The survey will take approximately 20 minutes, and you will be paid
$5 for completing it.
You will first complete two short timed tasks: finding five five-digit ZIP codes hidden in a grid of digits, and deciding whether two shapes are the same shape turned around or mirror images. You will attempt each task three times, 30 seconds each, with a new puzzle every time. On each of the two tasks, the top 10% of participants earn a $2 bonus, based on your best of the three attempts, with ties broken by speed where possible; if a tie cannot be broken, everyone tied receives the bonus. The most you can earn in bonuses is $4, paid after the study is complete.
You will then be asked for your impressions of a range of everyday tasks — including what kinds of people tend to do well at each one — and to answer some demographic questions.
Risks
There are no known risks from participating in this research study. If you do not wish to answer any
questions you may end your participation in the study at any time.
Benefits
There are no direct benefits from participating in this research. However, possible benefits include
learning more about the research process and generating new knowledge about organizations and
performance. We hope that, in the future, other people might benefit from this study through an
improved understanding of problem-solving.
Confidentiality
Any potential loss of confidentiality will be minimized. Only researchers will have access to the
data. The confidentiality of the subjects participating in the experiments will be maintained. Data
will be stored in an electronic folder on a password protected network directory. Subjects’ names
will not be associated with the data collected at any time, so it will be impossible to identify the
responses of individual subjects. The data collected will be associated only with randomly assigned
subject ID numbers that cannot be used to identify individual subjects. The data will be analyzed by
experimental condition rather than by individual subject. Any personally identifiable information will
be deleted when all research articles associated with this project are published.
Right to Withdraw and Questions
If we write a report or article about this research project, your identity will be protected to the
maximum extent possible. Your information may be shared with representatives of the University of
Maryland, the University of Texas, or governmental authorities if you or someone else is in danger or
if we are required to do so by law. Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. You
may choose not to take part at all. If you decide to participate in this research, you may stop
participating at any time. If you decide not to participate in this study or if you stop participating
at any time, you will not be penalized or lose any benefits to which you otherwise qualify. If you
decide to stop taking part in the study, if you have questions, concerns, or complaints, or if you
need to report an injury related to the research, please contact the investigator: Nathan Barrymore,
University of Texas at Austin, nathan.barrymore@mccombs.utexas.edu
Participant Rights
If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, wish to discuss your concerns with
someone other than the researchers, or wish to report a research-related injury, please contact the
Institutional Review Board at The University of Texas at Austin. E-mail: irb@austin.utexas.edu.
Telephone: 512-232-1543. This research has been reviewed according to the University of Texas at
Austin IRB procedures for research involving human subjects. By clicking below, you agree that you are
at least 18 years of age, have read the consent form, and voluntarily agree to participate in the
study. You may print a copy of this page for your records.
Do you agree to participate in this study?
anti_ai holding 1 question, in the order below.Before you begin
This study measures what people think, and how people perform. For the results to mean anything, we need your own honest impressions and your own unaided effort.
Please do not use ChatGPT or any other AI assistant, and do not ask another person for help, at any point in this survey. There are no right or wrong answers to the opinion questions, so there is nothing to look up. On the two timed tasks, outside help would make the data unusable.
We are not able to detect this perfectly, so we are simply asking you directly.
prolific_id holding 1 question, in the order below.Your Prolific ID has been recorded as:
${e://Field/PROLIFIC_PID}5f3a9c2e14b07d8619ae4f22
If that box is empty, please return to Prolific and re-enter the study using the link there, so we can pay you. If it shows your ID, click Next to begin.
task_zip_intro holding 3 questions on 2 pages, in the order below.You will see a 7×7 grid of digits and a short list of ZIP codes. Your job is to find each ZIP code hidden in the grid as quickly as you can.
Each ZIP code is five digits in a row, running in a straight line: across, down, or diagonally, in any direction (including backwards). To select one, you can either:
Worked example. In the grid below, the ZIP code 90210 runs left to right in the middle row. Selecting it (by dragging across it, or clicking the 9 then the 0) turns it green and crosses it off the list:
| 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| 4 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 9 |
| 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
You will do this task three times, each for 30 seconds, with a new grid each time. The same ZIP codes are used each time, so you can get faster with practice. Most people improve across the three rounds, so keep going even if the first round feels hard.
On each task, the top 10% of participants earn a $2 bonus, based on your best of the three rounds. If several people tie on the same score, ties are broken by speed — how quickly you finished that round.
Click Next when you are ready to begin.
Before you start: how do you record an answer in this task?
And what earns the $2 bonus on a task?
task_zip_retry holding 2 questions on 1 page, in the order below.Not quite — let's check once more before you start.
How do you record an answer in this task?
And what earns the $2 bonus on a task?
task_zip_attempts holding 3 questions (2 of them copies of an attempt question), in the order below.Find each ZIP code in the grid. Either click and drag across its five digits, or click the first digit and then the last digit. Codes run in a straight line (across, down, or diagonally) and in any direction.
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| 8 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
task_rotation holding 4 questions (2 of them copies of an attempt question), in the order below.You will see two shapes side by side. Decide whether the shape on the right is the same shape as the one on the left, just turned (rotated), or whether it is the shape's mirror image. Click Same or Mirror image; a new pair appears right away.
Example 1 — Same shape, rotated. The right shape is the left shape turned a quarter-turn. The correct answer is Same:
Example 2 — Mirror image. The right shape cannot be made by turning the left shape; it is flipped. The correct answer is Mirror image:
Each correct answer earns a point and each wrong answer loses a point, so answering at random will not help: answer carefully rather than guessing.
You will do this task three times, each for 30 seconds. On each task, the top 10% of participants earn a $2 bonus, based on your best of the three rounds. Every round here runs for the full time, so if several people tie on the same score, everyone tied receives the bonus.
Click Next when you are ready to begin.
Two shapes appear side by side. Decide whether the right shape is the same shape rotated, or its mirror image. Click your answer; a new pair appears right away.
Each correct answer is worth a point and each wrong answer subtracts a point, so answering at random will not help your score: answer carefully rather than guessing.
perception holding 2 questions, in the order below.For each task below, please answer two quick questions about people in general. There are no right or wrong answers; we are only interested in your impressions.
| K | B | T | M | A | P |
| L | N | D | S | E | O |
| R | I | V | E | R | G |
| A | C | F | H | J | Q |
| W | X | Z | Y | U | I |
| P | L | O | N | T | S |
| 9 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 7 |
| 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| 12 | 72 | 39 | 64 | 18 |
| 51 | 23 | 88 | 47 | 90 |
| 33 | 56 | 21 | 70 | 14 |
| 49 | 63 | 30 | 82 | 27 |
| 75 | 11 | 58 | 44 | 60 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| ○ | △ | □ | ✕ |
| △ | ✕ | ○ | □ |
Two more, in the same format. Again, there are no right or wrong answers — we are only interested in your impressions of people in general.
demographics holding 6 questions, in the order below.How much do you agree with each of the following?
| Strongly disagree | Disagree | Neither agree nor disagree | Agree | Strongly agree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am generally willing to take risks. | |||||
| I enjoy competing against other people. | |||||
| To show you are reading carefully, please select “Strongly disagree” for this item. | |||||
| When I face a difficult task, I am certain that I will accomplish it. |
What is your gender?
What is your age?
What is your ethnicity? Select all that apply.
What is your highest degree of education?
What was your total household income last year, before taxes?
debrief holding 1 question, in the order below.Thank you — you are finished.
This study is about how gender-typed everyday thinking tasks are perceived to be: for each task, whether people believe men or women tend to perform better. We are comparing those beliefs against how people actually perform on a few of the same tasks.
The tasks were real and your scores were real; nothing was faked.
Your bonus. On each of the two timed tasks, the top 10% of participants earn a $2 bonus, based on the best of your three attempts, with ties broken by speed where possible — up to $4 in total. We can only rank scores once everyone has finished, so bonuses are paid through Prolific within 7 days of the study closing. You do not need to do anything.
If you have questions about the study, contact Nathan Barrymore at nathan.barrymore@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Please click Next to register your completion and return to Prolific.