Subject: Re: experimental breaks from listening From: "Ward R. Drennan" <drennan@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:07:07 -0700 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>It depends on the task and the subject. I think it's appropriate to provide the opportunity for a short break about every 10 minutes, but some subjects won't need it. Our subjects will generally go 20-30 minutes and sometimes more without leaving the seat; however, they could theoretically stop for a break after any trial. They can take pauses any time since the tasks are self-paced. I generally make them take a break if they linger on more than 30 minutes; but otherwise allow them the freedom to decide. Fatigued subjects are not a good thing. It's a variable we try to avoid. On Tue, 11 Mar 2008, Bryony Buck wrote: > Dear list users, > > Does anyone know quite how long a participant should perform trials before > they are given a break? > I am using musical excerpts approximately 10seconds in length and was > intending to give a break after every 60th trial (10minutes) > > However, I am concerned that this may be too much musical information to > recieve and process in experimental conditions. > Is there a standard time lapse for when a break should be given? > > Thanks in advance > Bryony > Ward R. Drennan, Ph. D. VM Bloedel Hearing Research Center Department of Otolaryngology University of Washington Box 357923 Seattle, WA 98195 Office: (206) 897-1848 Fax: (206) 616-1828