PEBL (software)

Open-source software for creating psychological experiments

Logo of the PEBL software system

PEBL (Psychology Experiment Building Language) is an open-source software system designed for creating and conducting psychological experiments. It provides a platform for researchers, educators, and students to design, share, and run a wide variety of experiments in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and related fields.

Overview

PEBL is a versatile tool that allows users to create experiments without extensive programming knowledge. It is particularly useful in academic settings where students and researchers need to develop custom experiments for their studies. The software is written in C and is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

Features

PEBL offers a range of features that make it suitable for psychological research:

• Experiment Design: Users can design experiments using a simple scripting language that allows for the creation of complex experimental protocols.
• Pre-built Tests: PEBL includes a library of standard psychological tests, such as the Stroop test, Iowa Gambling Task, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.
• Data Collection: The software collects data in a format that is easy to analyze, supporting various data output options.
• Cross-platform Compatibility: PEBL runs on multiple operating systems, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
• Open Source: As an open-source project, PEBL encourages collaboration and modification by the research community.

Applications

PEBL is used in various fields of research and education:

• Cognitive Psychology: Researchers use PEBL to study cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and decision-making.
• Neuroscience: The software is employed in experiments that investigate brain function and behavior.
• Education: PEBL serves as a teaching tool in psychology courses, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in experiment design and data analysis.

Development and Community

PEBL is developed by a community of researchers and programmers who contribute to its ongoing improvement. The project is hosted on platforms like GitHub, where users can access the source code, report issues, and contribute to the development.

Related pages

• Psychological testing
• Cognitive psychology
• Open-source software
• Experiment