Sound Estimation and Accuracy Task

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Participants will be assigned to complete computerized estimation tasks for which there is a component of accuracy, such as estimating the duration of sounds. Participants will be told that the task is used as an early diagnostic tool to detect those at risk for a medical condition (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease). Instructions will be given to participants telling them that accuracy on the task is associated with the disease, whereas those who are not at risk of the disease tend to either overestimate or underestimate the duration of the sounds. The investigators examine whether such instructions about the purpose and diagnosticity of the tasks biases participants' responses to the tasks, leading them to purposefully be more inaccurate in their estimates.

Detailed Description
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Participants will be assigned to complete computerized tasks for which there is a component of accuracy, such as estimating the length, in time, of sounds. Participants will be told that the task is used as an early diagnostic tool to detect those at risk for a medical condition (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease). Instructions will be given to participants telling them that accuracy on the task is associated with the disease in question, whereas those who are not at risk of the disease tend to either overestimate or underestimate the duration of the sounds. The investigators examine whether such instructions about the purpose and diagnosticity of the tasks biases participants' responses to the tasks. The investigators collect additional survey measures as statistical controls and potential explanatory variables for variation in the performance on the tasks, and also test whether financial incentives for accuracy on these tasks improve the accuracy of responses to these tasks. Following the task, all participants will be told that the tasks used are actually NOT diagnostic of the diseases in question, and that deception was used to learn how people respond to instructions about how a task can be used for diagnostic purposes.

Official Title
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Estimation and Accuracy in Sound Task Perceived to be Medically Diagnostic

Conditions
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Parkinson's, Alzheimer Disease

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Instructions about Overestimates
* Other: Instructions about Parkinson's
* Other: Instructions about Underestimates
* Other: Instructions about Alzheimers


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18 or older Able to access tasks on computer Able to hear sounds played on computer Exclusion Criteria: Computer speakers absent or not functioning

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Screening
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Overestimate Parkinson's<br>People are told that overestimates on the sound estimation task are associated with being healthy and having a low risk of Parkinson's disease, whereas those who are accurate are more likely to develop the disease later in life. | Other: Instructions about Overestimates<br>* Participants are told that overestimating the duration of sounds are associated with low disease risk.<br>Other: Instructions about Parkinson's<br>* Participants are told that the task is about risk of Parkinson's disease.<br>|
| Experimental: Overestimate Alzheimers<br>People are told that overestimates on the sound estimation task are associated with being healthy and having a low risk of Alzheimers disease, whereas those who are accurate are more likely to develop the disease later in life. | Other: Instructions about Overestimates<br>* Participants are told that overestimating the duration of sounds are associated with low disease risk.<br>Other: Instructions about Alzheimers<br>* Participants are told that the task is about risk of Alzheimers disease.<br>|
| Experimental: Underestimate Parkinson's<br>People are told that underestimates on the sound estimation task are associated with being healthy and having a low risk of Parkinson's disease, whereas those who are accurate are more likely to develop the disease later in life. | Other: Instructions about Parkinson's<br>* Participants are told that the task is about risk of Parkinson's disease.<br>Other: Instructions about Underestimates<br>* Participants are told that underestimating the duration of sounds are associated with low disease risk.<br>|
| Experimental: Underestimate Alzheimers<br>People are told that underestimates on the sound estimation task are associated with being healthy and having a low risk of Alzheimers disease, whereas those who are accurate are more likely to develop the disease later in life. | Other: Instructions about Underestimates<br>* Participants are told that underestimating the duration of sounds are associated with low disease risk.<br>Other: Instructions about Alzheimers<br>* Participants are told that the task is about risk of Alzheimers disease.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time Estimate | The estimate of the length of time elapsed during the sound file | 30 minutes | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time Generation | The length of time selected for the sound file to run by participants in a secondary task | 30 minutes | 
| Perceived Risk of Disease | Scale question asking participants their perceived risk of having the diseases in the study | 30 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Diagnostic Information, Risk Perception