Four pairs of tools were presented to the participant, and it was demonstrated to be performing its basic function (for example, a paintbrush would be shown painting). The other tool would be a novel tool similar in shape and size to the known tool. In “teaching trials”, the novel tool would be demonstrated, while in “non-teaching trials”, the novel tool would only be denoted by color or manufacturer. Participants would then get the opportunity to try out the tools (if they were in-person), or watch detailed videos on the tools (online), including videos of the in-person participants trying out the tools, and would then be presented with a task for which they had to choose which tool they wanted to use - the novel or known.

For online participants, there were manipulation safeguards including in the Qualtrics survey that the study was using to ensure reliability in data.