The HED Task Catalog is under development. IDs are not stable until formal release. Comments are welcome at github.com/hed-standard/hed-task/issues.

Delayed Match-to-Sample Task

HED task ID: hedtsk_delayed_match_to_sample

Family: Short-term and working memory tasks

Also known as: DMTS, DMS, Delayed Match-to-Sample

Sample stimulus followed by a delay and then a probe or choice array; response indicates whether the probe matches the sample. Indexes short-term memory maintenance.

Description

The Delayed Match-to-Sample (DMTS) task consists of three phases: sample, delay, and choice. During the sample phase, a stimulus is presented. Following a delay period (0-30 seconds), the participant must identify which of several test stimuli matches the original sample. Memory demands are manipulated by varying delay duration or the number of choice alternatives. The task has been fundamental in primate neuroscience for identifying the neural substrates of working memory, particularly delay-period persistent activity in prefrontal cortex.

Inclusion test

An experiment is an instance of this task when its procedure matches, it manipulates at least one of the listed variables, and it records at least one of the listed measures.

Procedure

A sample stimulus is presented, followed by a retention interval (delay), then a test stimulus; participants indicate whether the test matches the sample.

Manipulation

Delay duration; sample complexity; number of test alternatives; interference during delay.

Measurement

Accuracy (proportion correct); RT; decay function across delay intervals.

Variations

Named versions that change what the participant experiences or does. The identifier of a variation is hedvar_<task>__<variation>.

Variation

Description

Justification

Standard DMTS

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__standard_dmts

Single sample → delay → two-choice test (match vs. non-match).

Canonical: sample presented, delay, then match from array

Variable Delay DMTS

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__variable_delay_dmts

Delay ranging from 0 to 30 seconds; maps forgetting function.

Systematically varies delay length; tests forgetting function

Multi-Choice DMTS

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__multi_choice_dmts

More than two choice alternatives; increases memory precision demands.

More than two choices at test; increases decision complexity

DMTS with Distraction During Delay

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__dmts_with_distraction_during_delay

Irrelevant stimuli during retention; measures interference resistance.

Interfering stimuli during retention interval; changes delay period structure

Spatial DMTS

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__spatial_dmts

Location-based matching rather than object-based.

Location rather than identity must be matched; different memory dimension

DMTS with Object Complexity Manipulation

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__dmts_with_object_complexity_manipulation

Simple colors vs. complex patterns; manipulates encoding demands.

Varies object complexity; tests encoding difficulty directly

Delayed Non-Match-to-Sample (DNMS)

hedvar_delayed_match_to_sample__delayed_non_match_to_sample_dnms

Select the novel stimulus; used extensively in primate lesion studies.

Respond to non-matching item; opposite stimulus-response mapping

Cognitive processes

This task is designed to engage the following processes:

Key references

  • Fuster, J. M., & Alexander, G. E. (1971). Neuron activity related to short-term memory. Science, 173(3997), 652-654. (DOI, PubMed)

  • Miller, E. K., Erickson, C. A., & Desimone, R. (1996). Neural mechanisms of visual working memory in prefrontal cortex of the macaque. Journal of Neuroscience, 16(16), 5154-5167. (DOI, PubMed)

  • Pessoa, L., Gutierrez, E., Bandettini, P. A., & Ungerleider, L. G. (2002). Neural correlates of visual working memory: fMRI amplitude predicts task performance. Neuron, 35(5), 975-987. (DOI, PubMed)

Further references

  • Lara, A. H., & Wallis, J. D. (2015). The role of prefrontal cortex in working memory: A mini review. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 9, 173. (DOI, PubMed)

  • Constantinidis, C., Funahashi, S., Lee, D., Murray, J. D., Qi, X. L., Wang, M., & Arnsten, A. F. T. (2018). Persistent spiking activity underlies working memory. Journal of Neuroscience, 38(32), 7020–7028. (DOI, PubMed)

  • Lundqvist, M., Herman, P., & Miller, E. K. (2018). Working memory: Delay activity, yes! Persistent activity? Maybe not. Journal of Neuroscience, 38(32), 7013–7019. (DOI, PubMed)

  • Stokes, M. G. (2015). ‘Activity-silent’ working memory in prefrontal cortex: A dynamic coding framework. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19(7), 394–405. (DOI, PubMed)