AVOKE: an open-source toolbox for audiovisual web experiments in jsPsych.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Open Science

Background:

• Web-based experiments are increasingly popular, but existing tools are often proprietary and difficult to use.
• Novice researchers face challenges due to inconsistent terminology, complex coding, and poor documentation in current experimental platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce AVOKE, a collection of free and open-source tools designed to simplify the creation of advanced web-based behavioral experiments.
• Address limitations of existing proprietary solutions by offering enhanced configurability, affordability, and testability.

Main Methods:

• AVOKE extends the jsPsych library, adhering to community standards for code reusability and documentation.
• Includes plugins and extensions for precise audiovisual presentation (animations, media files, YouTube) and behavioral response collection (keypresses, video capture).
• Validated through simulation testing and prior/ongoing research studies.

Main Results:

• AVOKE provides researchers with accessible, powerful tools for designing and implementing complex web-based experiments.
• Facilitates temporally-precise audiovisual stimuli presentation and diverse behavioral data collection, including participant facial recordings.
• The open-source nature promotes collaboration and further development within the research community.

Conclusions:

• AVOKE democratizes the development of sophisticated web-based behavioral experiments.
• Encourages broader adoption and contribution through its open-source model and comprehensive documentation.
• Facilitates advanced research methodologies, including those requiring precise media synchronization and multimodal participant responses.