Key Concepts of ERTS Script Language

ERTS (Experimental Runtime System) was a popular software package allowing researchers to author and control reaction time experiments on DOS PCs. Its unique scripting language made it accessible even to non-programmers for defining their own experiments. Compared to universal programming language, this scripting language reduces the development phase for new experimental paradigms considerably.

The ERTS script language was carefully designed to match the mental model of the experimental psychologist. It consists of a small set of high level data types and procedural commands which can be used in a declarative way to cover a broad range of experimental paradigms. Some of the key language constructs are explained in the following sections.