Customer Reviews (case 22515)

[jarvis24]

I have worked with a variety of experimental design software packages in the past, and I have found DirectRT to be the most user-friendly program that I have encountered. Within hours, I had sophisticated programs up and running. DirectRT’s ability to record very accurate response times from a Windows environment is a very nice asset, and its ability to record voice activated reaction times and actually record and save the responses is wonderful. Also, the support offered by Empirisoft was extremely timely and helpful. I highly recommend DirectRT to anyone who needs to design a reaction time task. I have found this software to be easy to use, efficient, and accurate.

Michael Suvak,
The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

[jarvis24]

I began to feel at ease with MediaLab after having spent just 30 minutes fooling around with it. The user interface is, oxymoronically, simultaneously intuitive and complex. That is, MediaLab is intuitive enough to be employed almost immediately, even by users with little or no knowledge of computer programming (unlike competing programs like *****); however, MediaLab also offers more than enough user options to allow the development of very complex multimedia experiments. I particularly like MediaLab's data output features: MediaLab provides researchers with Microsoft Excel, SPSS Syntax, and SPSS data files. This feature is an excellent time-saver and makes the transition from data collection to data analysis a breeze.

Patrick Vargas,
University of Illinois, UC

[jarvis24]

When I first saw what MediaLab could do, I was afraid that it would take an advanced degree in computer science to operate. Much to my surprise, the program is highly intuitive, requiring only a general understanding of Windows to learn. MediaLab offers researchers the ability to easily and quickly design multimedia experiments that would take far longer (and a far more in-depth understanding of computer programming) to create in any other way. It also makes data entry a snap, as the data files are automatically created as an Excel or SPSS file.

George Bizer,
Eastern Illinois University

[jarvis24]

Essentially, MediaLab is a powerful tool for research. The flexibility and diversity in the types of stimuli that can be presented and the types of response options make it an excellent program for many different types of psychological research. The variety of data output formats ensures that the data will be easily available, regardless of which format you prefer. This also saves a lot of time and resources that could be spent on data entry. This program is essential for psychological research labs.

Kristen N. Moreno,
Northwestern University

[jarvis24]

As researchers begin to appreciate the benefits of computer-based data collection, they are often faced with the tough decisions about how to go about getting software to match their needs. Writing one's own software programs is time consuming and often results in a less than optimal solution. 'Canned' computer programs exist but these often lack the flexibility needed for creative research designs. MediaLab offers an ideal solution. Straightforward and easy to follow instructions for basic experiments yet allowing the flexibility to integrate other software routines and more complex stimulus presentation and data collection should it be necessary or desirable. The program fits the needs of researchers because MediaLab was developed in collaboration with a wide range of active researchers.

Curtis Haugtvedt,
Ohio State University

[jarvis24]

MediaLab holds the potential to reshape the way social psychologists conduct research. With MediaLab, it is possible to present participants with involving manipulations including graphical arrays, Power Point shows, and even video clips. All of these can be seamlessly integrated into a single experiment. No doubt, the quality of the data is improved because participants are more engaged in the experimental procedures. MediaLab is great for researchers, too. Not only is it easy to create experiments, but it’s simple to run participants and integrate the data as well. In fact, because MediaLab automatically records the data on a spreadsheet, it’s possible to run 200 participants during the day and analyze the data that night. Also, because the entire administration is computerized, it’s possible for interested researchers to conduct replications of your work using your exact experimental procedures. You can post your experiments on the web or e-mail them to interested researchers. Simply put, MediaLab allows the researcher to obtain better data with less time and effort. It’s the next wave in psychological research.

S. Christian Wheeler,
Stanford University

[jarvis24]

I find the software (both MediaLab and DirectRT) to be extremely user friendly. The software has been instrumental in reducing the amount of time required to program complex experiments. Customer support is exceptional. Blair is strongly committed to producing a quality product that is both user friendly and readily meets the experimental needs of his clients.

Ana Franco-Watkins,
University of Maryland