Reducing code length. 4 Blocks in one loop

I found this code and would like to use it for a reaction time task. It runs fine, but I was wondering if there was a way to make the different blocks all into one for loop to reduce down the code length. The fist block 4 objects appear on a figure, second block 8 object, third 12 objects, and fourth is 16 objects. Could I just make it into one big loop with changing number of objects?

Thank you for the help.

%main script

start=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the 1st block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
right = 0;
wrong = 0;
trial_block=30;
%1st block pop-out with 4 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=4;
t_target4pop=[];
t_no_target4pop=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';t
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'f', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target4pop=[t_target4pop, temp_t];
  right = right + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target4pop=[t_no_target4pop, temp_t];
  right = right + 1;
  else
  wrong = wrong + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ4pop_mean=mean(t_target4pop);
t_no_targ4pop_mean=mean(t_no_target4pop);
%Next block
next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the next block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
right8 = 0;
wrong8 = 0;
%trial_block=30;
%2nd block pop-out with 8 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=8;
t_target8pop=[];
t_no_target8pop=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'f', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target8pop=[t_target8pop, temp_t];
  right8 = right8 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target8pop=[t_no_target8pop, temp_t];
  right8 = right8 + 1;
  else
  wrong8 = wrong8 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ8pop_mean=mean(t_target8pop);
t_no_targ8pop_mean=mean(t_no_target8pop);

%Next block
next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the next block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
right12 = 0;
wrong12 = 0;
%trial_block=30;
%3rd block pop-out with 12 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=12;
t_target12pop=[];
t_no_target12pop=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'f', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target12pop=[t_target12pop, temp_t];
  right12 = right12 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target12pop=[t_no_target12pop, temp_t];
  right12 = right12 + 1;
  else
  wrong12 = wrong12 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ12pop_mean=mean(t_target12pop);
t_no_targ12pop_mean=mean(t_no_target12pop);

%Next block
next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the next block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
right16 = 0;
wrong16 = 0;
%trial_block=30;
%4th block pop-out with 16 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=16;
t_target16pop=[];
t_no_target16pop=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'f', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target16pop=[t_target16pop, temp_t];
  right16 = right16 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target16pop=[t_no_target16pop, temp_t];
  right16 = right16 + 1;
  else
  wrong16 = wrong16 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ16pop_mean=mean(t_target16pop);
t_no_targ16pop_mean=mean(t_no_target16pop);

%Now we begin the conjunction search.
next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the conjunction blocks');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
rightc = 0;
wrongc = 0;
trial_block=30;
%1st block conjunction with 4 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=4;
t_target4con=[];
t_no_target4con=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'c', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target4con=[t_target4con, temp_t];
  rightc = rightc + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target4con=[t_no_target4con, temp_t];
  rightc = rightc + 1;
  else
  wrongc = wrongc + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ4con_mean=mean(t_target4con);
t_no_targ4con_mean=mean(t_no_target4con);

next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the next block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
rightc8 = 0;
wrongc8 = 0;
trial_block=30;
%2nd block conjunction with 8 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=8;
t_target8con=[];
t_no_target8con=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'c', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target8con=[t_target8con, temp_t];
  rightc8 = rightc8 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target8con=[t_no_target8con, temp_t];
  rightc8 = rightc8 + 1;
  else
  wrongc8 = wrongc8 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ8con_mean=mean(t_target8con);
t_no_targ8con_mean=mean(t_no_target8con);

next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the next block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
rightc12 = 0;
wrongc12 = 0;
trial_block=30;
%3rd block conjunction with 12 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=12;
t_target12con=[];
t_no_target12con=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'c', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target12con=[t_target12con, temp_t];
  rightc12 = rightc12 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target12con=[t_no_target12con, temp_t];
  rightc12 = rightc12 + 1;
  else
  wrongc12 = wrongc12 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ12con_mean=mean(t_target12con);
t_no_targ12con_mean=mean(t_no_target12con);

next=figure;
text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the last block');
text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target');
pause;
close;
rightc16 = 0;
wrongc16 = 0;
trial_block=30;
%4th block conjunction with 16 objects; we do 30 trials;
n=16;
t_target16con=[];
t_no_target16con=[];
z=randperm(trial_block);
for i=1:trial_block
  if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2))
      target='y';
  else
      target='n';
  end;
g=Treisman(n, 'c', target);
tic;
pause;
temp_t=toc;
%t=[t, temp_t];
temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter');
%ans=[ans, temp_ans];
close;
  if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't'))) 
  t_target16con=[t_target16con, temp_t];
  rightc16 = rightc16 + 1;
  elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n')))
  t_no_target16con=[t_no_target16con, temp_t];
  rightc16 = rightc16 + 1;
  else
  wrongc16 = wrongc16 + 1;
  end;
end;
t_targ16con_mean=mean(t_target16con);
t_no_targ16con_mean=mean(t_no_target16con);

n=[4, 8, 12, 16]';
t_target_pop=[t_targ4pop_mean, t_targ8pop_mean, t_targ12pop_mean, t_targ16pop_mean]';
t_target_con=[t_targ4con_mean, t_targ8con_mean, t_targ12con_mean, t_targ16con_mean]';

t_no_target_pop=[t_no_targ4pop_mean, t_no_targ8pop_mean, t_no_targ12pop_mean, t_no_targ16pop_mean]';
t_no_target_con=[t_no_targ4con_mean, t_no_targ8con_mean, t_no_targ12con_mean, t_no_targ16con_mean]';

[M1, p1]=corrcoef(n, t_target_pop);
M1=M1(1,2);
p1=p1(1,2);

[M2, p2]=corrcoef(n, t_target_con);
M2=M2(1,2);
p2=p2(1,2);

[M3, p3]=corrcoef(n, t_no_target_pop);
M3=M3(1,2);
p3=p3(1,2);

[M4, p4]=corrcoef(n, t_no_target_con);
M4=M4(1,2);
p4=p4(1,2);

sprintf('The correlation coefficient is %0.5g and the p-value is %0.5g for the popout trial when the target was present', M1, p1)
sprintf('The correlation coefficient is %0.5g and the p-value is %0.5g for the conjunction trial when the target was present', M2, p2)
sprintf('The correlation coefficient is %0.5g and the p-value is %0.5g for the popout trial when the target was absent', M3, p3)
sprintf('The correlation coefficient is %0.5g and the p-value is %0.5g for the conjunction trial when the target was absent', M4, p4)
comment='p-values < 0.05 are considered significant'

figure;
plot(n, t_target_pop);
hold on;
plot(n, t_target_con, 'r');
title('Correctly Identified the Presence of Target');
legend('Pop Out', 'Conjunction');
xlabel('Set Size');
ylabel('Mean Reaction Time (sec)');
hold off;

figure;
plot(n, t_no_target_pop);
hold on;
plot(n, t_no_target_con, 'r');
title('Correctly Identified the Absence of Target');
legend('Pop Out', 'Conjunction');
xlabel('Set Size');
ylabel('Mean Reaction Time (sec)');
hold off;

%These are the results for the sprintf function for the trial I ran on
%myself. The graphs are given as well.
%The correlation coefficient is -0.57912 and the p-value is 0.42088 for the popout trial when the target was present

%The correlation coefficient is 0.99994 and the p-value is 6.4571e-005 for the conjunction trial when the target was present

%The correlation coefficient is -0.032356 and the p-value is 0.96764 for the popout trial when the target was absent

%The correlation coefficient is 0.92974 and the p-value is 0.070256 for the conjunction trial when the target was absent

%p-values < 0.05 are considered significant

%For a qualitative assessment of the slopes of the graphs I would say that
%the popout task does not seem to require more mental processing time as 
%the set size increases (ie the slope is relatively flat.). However, 
%for the conjunction task there is statistically significant linear
%increase in reaction time to complete the task.
%I realize that one p-value for the conjunction task is not quite below
%0.05, so the statement made above is not exactly true from this small sample size.

%Final note in the trials ran I always scored more than 20 correct/block,
%so the mean reaction time is based on at least 20 data points as required.
%

[dpb]

Well, start by isolating the portion that does what you want for each set and compare that are doing the same thing -- if it is, indeed, simply the same thing but with different datasets, then move that out into a function that accepts the data as an array instead and call it.

You may have to build the data arrays from the named variables used unless they're local names created from an initial larger array or set of arrays already in which case you just use the existing indices.

Shouldn't be terribly difficult--tedious, perhaps, but not all that hard if the base operations are the same.

Just dig in and look at the code in detail to see what it's actually using...

Answer 1

[ag]

Hi,

I understand that you are looking to reduce the number of lines of code in your script by using a loop for repeating code blocks.

I observed that the only changing variable in each block is 'n'. Therefore, you can reduce the number of lines of your code by looping over the variable 'n' and placing the repeating code inside the loop. Here is an example to for your reference:

n_vals = [4, 8, 12, 16]; 
for index = 1 : length(n_vals) 
    start=figure; 
    text(0.2, 0.7, 'Press any key to begin the 1st block'); 
    text(0.05, 0.5, 'For the trials press ''t'' if there''s a target and ''n'' if there isn''t a target'); 
    pause; 
    close; 
    right = 0; 
    wrong = 0; 
    trial_block=30; 
    %1st block pop-out with 4 objects; we do 30 trials; 
    n = n_vals(index); 
    t_target4pop=[]; 
    t_no_target4pop=[]; 
    z=randperm(trial_block); 
    for i=1:trial_block 
        if(z(i) <=(trial_block/2)) 
            target='y'; 
        else 
            target='n'; 
        end; 
        g=Treisman(n, 'f', target); 
        tic; 
        pause; 
        temp_t=toc; 
        %t=[t, temp_t]; 
        temp_ans=get(g, 'CurrentCharacter'); 
        %ans=[ans, temp_ans]; 
        close; 
        if((strcmp(target, 'y') && strcmp(temp_ans, 't')))  
            t_target_pop=[t_target_pop, temp_t]; 
            right = right + 1; 
        elseif((strcmp(target, 'n') && strcmp(temp_ans, 'n'))) 
            t_no_target_pop=[t_no_target_pop, temp_t]; 
            right = right + 1; 
        else 
            wrong = wrong + 1; 
        end; 
    end; 
    t_targ_pop_mean=mean(t_target_pop); 
    t_no_targ_pop_mean=mean(t_no_target_pop); 
end 

Likewise, you can identify the repetitive code for the 'conjunction search' and implement a loop to minimize the code's line count.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Aryan Gupta