Trial Reward Loss Reference Balance Tool

Description

Select reward for correct or negative penalty otherwise and subtract reference.

Experimental incentives map recorded performance or points to a supplied reward policy. A capped credit or reference difference describes that policy's arithmetic, not participant motivation, clinical status or an actual payment obligation.

Select reward for correct or negative penalty otherwise and subtract reference.

When to use this tool

Use Trial Reward Loss Reference Balance when you need a trial-reward or participant-incentive calculation.

How to use the tool and how it works

Enter reward, penalty, correct, reference. Use the units and conventions below.
Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
Read realized, referenceDifference. Use the output convention below.

Require nonnegative reward/penalty. Select reward for correct or negative penalty otherwise and subtract reference.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
reward	Reward	Required. Finite number; minimum 0.
penalty	Penalty	Required. Finite number; minimum 0.
correct	Correct	Required. Boolean.
reference	Caller-supplied comparator on the same measurement or valuation basis.	Required. Finite number.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
realized	Realized	Required. Finite number.
referenceDifference	Reference Difference	Required. Finite number.

json

{
  "input": {
    "reward": 10,
    "penalty": 4,
    "correct": true,
    "reference": 3
  },
  "output": {
    "realized": 10,
    "referenceDifference": 7
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Values share a supplied incentive scale; correctness is input metadata. The result does not infer motivation, learning, clinical status or actual payment entitlement.
Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Review the approved study and payment procedures and complete source records. Evaluate behavioral or ethical interpretation separately from local incentive arithmetic.

References

Calculation and input contract: experimental-psychology/trial-reward-loss-reference-balance — tool.io

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