donnyzhao / psypythoncourse

Python and Pygame course for programming Psychology Experiments

Programming Psychology Experiments in Python

Welcome to the course "Programming Psychology Experiments in Python". This course gives an integrative overview of programming psychology experiments using the programming language Python and the graphics library PyGame. The course is structured as follows:

The first part introduces basic programming concepts of Python in the context of computerized psychology experiments. The second part introduces the basics of PyGame and its use for programming experiments. The last part introduces object oriented programming techniques.

Each chapter is accompanied by lab exercises (table at the bottom of this page). These exercises allow students to practice the concepts described in each chapter in more depth.

Feedback and recommendations for improvement are always welcome.

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Course Outline

1. Introduction: Python and Pygame

• [Introducing Python and Pygame]
• Installation of Python and Pygame
• Running Python Programs

2. Python Basics

• Variables, Operators, and Comments
• Standard Data Types
• User Input
• Reading and Writing a File

3. Python Dynamics

• If-Then Branching
• For- and While-Loops

4. Python Functions

• Functions Basics
• Structuring a Program with Functions

5. A Mini Experiment

• Console Experiment

6. Graphics Basics with PyGame

• Introducing PyGame
• Presenting Text
• Drawing Shapes

7. Collecting Responses

• Recording Responses
• Saving Responses to a Data File

8. Presenting Instructions

• Loading Instructions
• Instruction Presentation

9. Putting it Together: An Experiment

• Planning and Structuring the Experiment
• Programming the Experiment

10. Object Oriented Programming

• [Modules and Classes]
• [Creating an Experiment Settings Class]
• [The Experiment and Main Class]

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Lab Exercises

The links to the lab exercises and solutions are in the following table. Each lab exercise corresponds to the contents of one chapter.

Lab Exercise	Solution
Lab 1	Lab 1 Solution
Lab 2	Lab 2 Solution
Lab 3	Lab 3 Solution
Lab 4	Lab 4 Solution
Lab 5	Lab 5 Solution
Lab 6	Lab 6 Solution
Lab 7	Lab 7 Solution
Lab 8	Lab 8 Solution
Lab 9	Lab 9 Solution
Lab 10	Lab 10 Solution

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