title: Computerization of the standard corsi block-tapping task affects its underlying cognitive concepts: a pilot study.
abstract: The tablet computer initiates an important step toward computerized administration of neuropsychological tests. Because of its lack of standardization, the Corsi Block-Tapping Task could benefit from advantages inherent to computerization. This task, which requires reproduction of a sequence of movements by tapping blocks as demonstrated by an examiner, is widely used as a representative of visuospatial attention and working memory. The aim was to validate a computerized version of the Corsi Task (e-Corsi) by comparing recall accuracy to that on the standard task. Forty university students (Mage = 22.9 years, SD = 2.7 years; 20 female) performed the standard Corsi Task and the e-Corsi on an iPad 3. Results showed higher accuracy in forward reproduction on the standard Corsi compared with the e-Corsi, whereas backward performance was comparable. These divergent performance patterns on the 2 versions (small-to-medium effect sizes) are explained as a result of motor priming and interference effects. This finding implies that computerization has serious consequences for the cognitive concepts that the Corsi Task is assumed to assess. Hence, whereas the e-Corsi was shown to be useful with respect to administration and registration, these findings also stress the need for reconsideration of the underlying theoretical concepts of this task.
authors.affiliation: a Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute , Utrecht University , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michiel H G
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Claessen
authors.forename: Ineke J M
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: van der Ham
authors.forename: Martine J E
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: van Zandvoort
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Corsi Block-Tapping Task; computerization; digit span; spatial span; visuospatial working memory