Continuous Rating Component

The Continuous Rating component allows participants to provide real-time, ongoing assessments throughout an experiment. As a global component, it can persist across multiple states, enabling moment-by-moment ratings during various tasks, stimuli presentations, or interactions.

Key Features

• Real-time continuous rating capture
• Customizable scale range and appearance
• Timeline visualization of rating history
• Configurable sampling rate
• Integration with video/audio stimuli timecodes
• Data export with precise timestamps
• Optional automatic reset between states
• Multiple instances for different dimensions

When to Use

Use the Continuous Rating component when you need to:

• Capture moment-by-moment reactions to dynamic stimuli
• Track fluctuating subjective states over time
• Measure ongoing responses during interactions
• Record emotional reactions throughout an experience
• Collect continuous feedback during extended activities
• Compare perceived changes across different aspects

Configuration

Basic Settings

Setting	Description	Default
Prompt/Question	Text describing what to rate	(required)
Minimum Value	Lowest value on the scale	0
Maximum Value	Highest value on the scale	100
Left Label	Text for minimum value	""
Right Label	Text for maximum value	""
Initial Value	Starting position	50
Sampling Rate	How often to record values (ms)	250
Width	Component width (px or %)	80%
Height	Component height (px)	60px
Position	Component placement	Bottom

Visual Options

Setting	Description	Default
Show Current Value	Display numeric value	false
Show History	Display rating history visualization	true
History Duration	How much history to display (seconds)	30
Track Color	Color of the slider track	#e0e0e0
Thumb Color	Color of the draggable handle	#2196f3
History Color	Color of the history visualization	rgba(33, 150, 243, 0.3)
Show Center Line	Display line at midpoint	true
Label Font Size	Size of endpoint labels	12px

Behavior Settings

Setting	Description	Default
Reset Between States	Clear rating when changing states	false
Require Interaction	Require participants to move slider	false
Lock After Idle	Lock slider after period of no movement	false
Idle Timeout	Time before locking (ms)	5000
Show Instructions	Display usage instructions	true

Data Collection

Stored Values

The Continuous Rating component records:

• Timestamped Ratings: Value and precise timestamp
• Interaction Events: When participants start/stop rating
• Sample Rate: Configurable frequency of data points
• State Context: Which experiment state the rating occurred in

Example data structure:

{
  "componentId": "mood-rating",
  "data": [
    {"timestamp": 1621453287000, "value": 50, "state": "introduction"},
    {"timestamp": 1621453287250, "value": 52, "state": "introduction"},
    {"timestamp": 1621453287500, "value": 55, "state": "introduction"},
    {"timestamp": 1621453287750, "value": 60, "state": "introduction"},
    // ... more data points
  ],
  "events": [
    {"type": "start", "timestamp": 1621453287000},
    {"type": "pause", "timestamp": 1621453290000},
    {"type": "resume", "timestamp": 1621453292000},
    {"type": "stateChange", "timestamp": 1621453300000, "fromState": "introduction", "toState": "videoStimulus"}
  ],
  "config": {
    "minValue": 0,
    "maxValue": 100,
    "sampleRate": 250
  }
}

Data Synchronization

The component supports synchronization with other experimental elements:

• Media Timecodes: Align ratings with video/audio timestamps
• State Transitions: Mark when state changes occur
• Event Markers: Record when significant events happen
• Multi-Participant Alignment: Synchronize across participant timelines

This enables precise analysis of ratings in context.

Types of Continuous Ratings

Emotional Response Tracking

Monitor emotional reactions in real-time:

Prompt: "How does this content make you feel?"
Min Value: -100
Max Value: 100
Left Label: "Very negative"
Right Label: "Very positive"
Center Line: Enabled

Engagement Monitoring

Track participant engagement:

Prompt: "How engaging is this content?"
Min Value: 0
Max Value: 100
Left Label: "Not engaging"
Right Label: "Highly engaging"
Show History: true
History Duration: 60 seconds

Multi-Dimensional Assessment

Use multiple instances to track different dimensions:

Instance 1:
Prompt: "Pleasantness"
Position: Top-left

Instance 2:
Prompt: "Arousal"
Position: Top-right

Instance 3:
Prompt: "Relevance"
Position: Bottom

Task Difficulty Rating

Monitor perceived difficulty:

Prompt: "How difficult is this task currently?"
Min Value: 0
Max Value: 10
Left Label: "Very easy"
Right Label: "Very difficult"
Sampling Rate: 500ms

Advanced Features

Timeline Visualization

The history visualization shows rating patterns:

1. Scrolling Timeline: Shows recent rating history
2. Shaded Area: Represents rating intensity over time
3. Marker Events: Can show significant events on timeline
4. Current Position: Indicates current rating in context

Configure appearance and duration in settings.

Media Integration

Integrate with media components:

1. Enable "Media Sync" option
2. Select the media component to sync with
3. Ratings will be recorded with media playback time
4. Export includes both real time and media time

This allows precise analysis of reactions to specific media moments.

Event Markers

Add markers for significant events:

1. Configure event triggers in the experiment
2. Events appear as vertical lines on the timeline
3. Export includes marker positions with descriptions
4. Use for identifying key moments in the rating data

Aggregated Views

For experimenter monitoring:

1. Enable "Aggregated View" in experimenter interface
2. See combined ratings from all participants
3. View statistics like average, median, range
4. Identify consensus and divergence in real-time

Implementation Examples

Video Stimulus Rating

Configuration:
- Prompt: "How engaging is this video?"
- Media Sync: Enabled, linked to video component
- Position: Bottom of screen
- Show History: true
- History Duration: 60 seconds
- Reset Between States: true

Conversation Assessment

Configuration:
- Prompt: "How much do you agree with what is being said?"
- Position: Right side panel
- Min Value: -100
- Max Value: 100
- Left Label: "Strongly disagree"
- Right Label: "Strongly agree"
- Center Line: true
- Reset Between States: false

Multiple Affect Dimensions

Configuration:
Component 1: "Mood Rating"
- Prompt: "Valence (negative-positive)"
- Position: Bottom-left

Component 2: "Arousal Rating"
- Prompt: "Arousal (calm-excited)"
- Position: Bottom-right

Both:
- Show History: true
- Sampling Rate: 200ms
- Show Current Value: true

Analysis Approaches

Time Series Analysis

Analyze rating patterns:

• Trend Analysis: Overall direction and slope
• Variability Metrics: Standard deviation, range
• Change Points: Significant shifts in ratings
• Frequency Analysis: Cyclic patterns in ratings
• Cross-correlation: Relationship with other time series

Event-Related Analysis

Analyze ratings around specific events:

• Pre/Post Comparisons: Changes following events
• Response Latency: Time between event and rating change
• Peak Response: Maximum change after events
• Recovery Time: Return to baseline after events

Participant Comparison

Compare ratings between participants:

• Synchrony: Correlation between participant ratings
• Divergence Points: When ratings start to differ
• Consensus Analysis: Agreement across participants
• Individual Differences: Characteristic rating patterns

Best Practices

Experimental Design

1. Clear Instructions: Explain exactly what participants should rate
2. Appropriate Scale: Choose meaningful scale endpoints and labels
3. Consider Cognitive Load: Be aware of dual-task demands
4. Practice Phase: Allow participants to familiarize with the interface
5. Interpret Carefully: Continuous ratings have natural lag and biases

Technical Setup

1. Appropriate Sampling: Balance data resolution with analysis needs
2. Test Performance: Verify the interface remains responsive
3. Data Volume: Be aware of the amount of data generated
4. Synchronization: Test timing alignment with other components
5. Mobile Compatibility: Ensure usability on touch devices

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue	Potential Solutions
Participants not moving slider	Enable "Require Interaction" option; improve instructions
Too much/little data	Adjust sampling rate appropriately
Timeline not showing	Check "Show History" setting; verify history duration
Performance issues	Reduce sampling rate; simplify visualization
Missing data points	Check for technical errors; verify continuous data collection

Component Combinations

The Continuous Rating component works well with:

• Video Component: Rate reactions to video content
• Audio Component: Rate responses to audio stimuli
• Video Chat: Rate ongoing conversations
• Text Display: Rate responses to narratives
• Multiple Continuous Ratings: For multi-dimensional assessment

Alternatives to Consider

• VAS Rating Component: For single-point rather than continuous assessment
• Multiple Choice: For categorical rather than continuous responses
• Text Input: For qualitative rather than quantitative feedback