Stimuli size varies

URL of experiment: https://pavlovia.org/Katharina_Kuehne/prar_lr

Description of the problem: Hi!

I have to ask for help again. In this experiment I use math problems such as 1 - 3 etc. Although they are all in the same size (and even in the same cell in the excel) etc, they look different on the screen, for example it looks like 1 - 3 with the 3 a bit larger than the 1. I can’t understand what the reason might be. I would really appreciate you could give me a hand. Thanks a lot.

I would guess that’s an issue with the font they are displayed in. Running online this can get a bit more complicated. since a fonts can subtly different between platforms. We’re working on technology to iron out these differences, but it’s in an early stage of development, so for now I can only offer a workaround: use pictures instead.

  • Copy-paste the math problems to Word
  • Pick a font you like
  • Make screenshots, cut them out (the trim function offered by many picture editors could help)
  • Use the cutouts as stimuli

Best, Thomas

Thank you for your fast reply.
Could changing the font help or is it no use trying?

I am asking because I also have experience of pictures being distorted in size :frowning:

I wouldn’t bother trying; not given how much control you want. Also got a tip on the fonts: use a monospace font; they have each character being the same size.

you mean like Courier?
I did not have any problems of the kind with sentences or words.

Yes like Courier. I’m not very well-versed in typography, so I’m hesitant to give an explanation on why this does happen with numbers but not with words. I can say that in one of my own experiments I present letters; to have them meet my standards I spent an hour or to in photoshop resizing them.

Thanks a lot! Indeed, switching to Courier helped.
I have 50 different stimuli and wanted to go the easiest way first :wink:

“Good programmers are lazy” they told me at computer science :). Still a warning though; the way the Courier font could be presented might be subtly different between operating systems and web-browsers.