Optimal scaling by alternating length-constrained nonnegative least squares, with application to distance-based analysis

An important feature of distance-based principal components analysis, is that the variables can be optimally transformed. For monotone spline transformation, a nonnegative least-squares problem with a length constraint has to be solved in each iteration. As an alternative algorithm to Lawson and Hanson (1974), we propose the Alternating Length-Constrained Non-Negative Least-Squares (ALC-NNLS) algorithm, which minimizes the nonnegative least-squares loss function over the parameters under a length constraint, by alternatingly minimizing over one parameter while keeping the others fixed. Several properties of the new algorithm are discussed. A Monte Carlo study is presented which shows that for most cases in distance-based principal components analysis, ALC-NNLS performs as good as the method of Lawson and Hanson or sometimes even better in terms of the quality of the solution. Supported by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) by grant nr. 030-56403 for the “PIONEER” project “Subject Oriented Multivariate Analysis” to the third author. We would like to thank the anonymous referees for their valuable remarks that have improved the quality of this paper.     

Mothers' Parenting and Young Economically Disadvantaged Children's Relational and Overt Bullying

We examined links between mothers' parenting and children's relational bullying and overt bullying in a sample of children attending a Head Start program. Mothers completed surveys and face-to-face interviews. Head Start teachers completed assessments on children. Results indicated that a small percentage of children in the sample was rated by teachers as engaging in relational bullying “frequently to almost always,” and slightly over half of the sample was rated by teachers as engaging in relational bullying “occasionally to about half of the time.” Similar results were found for the frequency with which children engaged in overt physical bullying. Regarding mothers' parenting, maternal empathy was most strongly correlated with both children's relational bullying and overt physical bullying. In addition, mothers' inappropriate developmental expectations for children and mothers' need to exert power over children rather than grant them independence were related to children's relational bullying. A composite variable for mothering predicted 11% of the variance in children's relational bullying. No gender differences were found for children's relational bullying and children's overt bullying.     

Factor analysis of the revised UCLA loneliness scale

The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA) is described and used as a unidimensional measure of loneliness; conceptualizing and assessing loneliness as a unitary, global experience. The present study suggests that the R-UCLA is a multidimensional measure of loneliness that assesses more than one construct of the loneliness experience. Results of principal axis factor analysis suggest that the R-UCLA measures three dimensions of loneliness: loneliness related to (a) “intimate others,” (b) “social others,” and (c) the “affiliative environment.” These findings may affect the utilization of the R-UCLA in future assessment, research, and intervention. These implications are discussed. This article is based on the author’s master’s thesis, submitted for the Master of Counseling degree at Arizona State University. This research was supported by a grant from the Arizona State University Graduate Student Association Research Development Program.     

How wearing eyeglasses affects facial recognition

Two studies examine the ability to recognize previously seen persons embedded among foils. Subjects in Study I tried to identify 20 persons among 20 foils (an easy task), whereas subjects in Study II tried to identify 50 persons among 50 foils (a difficult task). There were three independent variables: the stimulus person’s eyeglasses and sex, and the subject’s depth of processing. The first two independent variables were varied by photographs of males and females with or without glasses; depth of processing was manipulated by having subjects either judge traits (deep) or describe appearance (shallow) of the stimulus persons during the initial exposure phase. Responses were scored for “hits,” and “false alarms,” and these were transformed intod’ and β indices. Generally speaking, eyeglasses hindered facial recognition; deep processing facilitated the difficult recognition task more than the easy task; and there was a same-sex advantage in recognition. Analyses of subjects’ judgments suggest that glasses lessen attractiveness and discriminability. This project was partially supported by a grant from the Faculty Development Committee, Hanover College.     

The clinical approach: Triangulated program evaluation and adjustment

In the discussion about “enlightenment” or “utilization” in program evaluation, it is increasingly clear that the discussants implicitly refer to different professional contexts. Weiss, in Alkin (1990), using the “scientist” approach appears to reflect upon the academic context of the traditional university, where, beyond the land grant institutions, “enlightenment” is the honored objective. In contrast, Patton (Alkin, 1990) speaks from the clinical perspective of the organization consultant, with “utilization” the essential element in the evaluator-client relationship. Yet, those contextual differences notwithstanding, each party defends its case on the implicit assumption ofone methodological procedure of program evaluation—equally shared by both. Correcting this assumption, this article articulates major principles and methods of the “clinical” approach in program evaluation. The method has been tested in the field in western Europe and the United States. Its characteristic difference with the academic tradition is that in clinical evaluation, improving the program is part of the method. Mark van de Vall is professor of Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam and adjunct professor at SUNY / Buffalo.     

The Role of Morphology and Short Vowelization in Reading Arabic among Normal and Dyslexic Readers in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 12

This study was an investigation of several Arabic reading measures among dyslexics and normal Arabic readers across different ages (grades 3, 6, 9, and 12): the role of morphology, short vowelization (phonological and syntactic skills), spelling, reading isolated words, and reading comprehension. The results of the one-way ANOVAs indicated clear differences between the dyslexic readers and the normal readers on all reading measures. However, the stepwise regression analysis revealed consistent “orthographic” results: morphology (identification and/or production) and spelling were generally the most powerful predictors of both reading accuracy and reading comprehension among dyslexic and normal readers across these different age groups. The results are discussed in terms of the characteristics of the Arabic orthography and the heavy reliance of readers at all levels and ages on “orthographic” factors in reading.     

Replies

I reply to challenges raised by contributors to this book symposium. Key challenges include (but are not limited to): distancing my new account of reductionism-in-practice from my previous “new wave” account; clarifying my claimed “heuristic” status for higher-level investigations (including cognitive-neuroscientific ones); defending the “reorientation of philosophical desires” I claim to be required by my project; and addressing consideration about normativity.     

The Medical Offset Effect: Patterns in Outpatient Services Reduction for High Utilizers of Health Care

Psychosocial intervention has been found to be related to subsequent reductions in health care use. Studies generally measure this “offset effect” by combining medical use categories into one outcome variable, such as outpatient doctor visits. However, using a general outcome variable may obscure more specific patterns of reduction. In an effort to identify potential “targets” for mental health intervention, outpatient care for health screening, illness visits, laboratory/X-ray, and urgent care were considered. Health care use reductions were most prominent for high utilizers and were found across a number of different types of outpatient care. With high utilizers, those who participated in MFT showed significant reductions of 68% for health screening visits, 38% for illness visits, 56% for laboratory/X-ray visits, and 78% for urgent care visits.     

“Fishermen”: Masculinity and sexuality in a Brazilian fishing community

This ethnography research attempts to detect the male perception and behavior on sexual and gender relations in a small and simple life style fishing village on the south Atlantic Coast of Brazil. The fieldwork lasted six months and consists of personal participant observation and long personal interviews with 41 men ranging in terms of sexual orientation from 0 to 6 according to Kinsey’s scale. In summary, perceptions and behaviors in this “simple society” are very atypical in relation to professional middle class in urban area of southeast of Brazil. In this society even many “straight” men customarily have sex with local “gay” men. The local “gay” men, called “paneleiros”, present a homosexual behavior typical to other societies. In comparison to other cross-cultural research the outcome of this case study suggests that it is possible to have at least three different categories of male sexuality: men who have sex only with other men, men who have sex only with women, and men who have sex with men and women; In addition it brings more concrete evidence to the current literature that suggests some kind of universal homosexual identity at least for people who are close to 6 in Kinsey’s scale. Assistant professor at Santa Catarina State University (Brazil) and scholarship and grant recipient from CAPES (Brazil).     

How Does It Feel to Be a Star?

Over the past three decades, research on the social dimensions of emotions has grown exponentially, particularly in the area of “emotion management.” In this project, we will attempt to add to this body of research by studying the social aspects of labeling or “instantiating” feelings. The data for the project come from televised red-carpet interviews conducted with celebrities immediately prior to awards ceremonies. By focusing on the generic aspects of the emotional claims-making put forth by interviewers and interviewees, we demonstrate how the labeling of emotions is an interpretive, interactive task.

Knowledge claims and context: loose use

There is abundant evidence of contextual variation in the use of “S knows p.” Contextualist theories explain this variation in terms of semantic hypotheses that refer to standards of justification determined by “practical” features of either the subject’s context (Hawthorne & Stanley) or the ascriber’s context (Lewis, Cohen, & DeRose). There is extensive linguistic counterevidence to both forms. I maintain that the contextual variation of knowledge claims is better explained by common pragmatic factors. I show here that one is variable strictness. “S knows p” is commonly used loosely to implicate “S is close enough to knowing p for contextually indicated purposes.” A pragmatic account may use a range of semantics, even contextualist. I use an invariant semantics on which knowledge requires complete justification. This combination meets the Moorean constraint as well as any linguistic theory should, and meets the intuition constraint much better than contextualism. There is no need for ad hoc error theories. The variation in conditions of assertability and practical rationality is better explained by variably strict constraints. It will follow that “S knows p” is used loosely to implicate that the condition for asserting “p” and using it in practical reasoning are satisfied.     

Academic press and sense of community: Conflict,congruence, and implications for student achievement

This paper examines tensions between two visions of schooling. One stresses social cohesion (i.e., common beliefs, shared activities, and caring relations between members). The other emphasizes strong academic mission (i.e., values and practices that reinforce high standards for student performance). Though not incongruous, numerous organizational studies reveal the potential for social cohesion and communality to be achieved at the expense of academic demand or “press.” To examine their separate and joint effects, measures of academic press and communality are developed from NELS:88 First Follow-up data. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicate (1) significant links between academic press and student achievement; (2) that academic press has its greatest achievement effect among low-SES schools; (3) that strong sense of community may have a negative impact on achievement in low-SES schools with weak academic press; and (4) that for low- and middle-SES schools, the greatest achievement effects follow from strong combinations of communality and academic press. These findings highlight an important additional component of the “school as community” model, indicating that for most schools, academic press serves as a key prerequisite for the positive achievement effects of communality. The author wishes to express appreciation to National Science Foundation for it support under the grant “Improving Mathematics and Science Learning: A School and Classroom Approach” (RED-9255880). The views expressed here are those of the author, and no official endorsement by the National Science Foundation is intended or should be inferred. Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to Roger C. Shouse, The Pennsylvania State University, 315 Rackley Building, University Park, PA 16803, U.S.A.     

儒学的现代意义

As we enter the new millennium, it has become more important to review and discover ancient wisdom. The project to build a harmonious society requires us to know our own “culture.” The biggest conflicts we human beings face are the conflicts between man and nature, man and man (man and society), and body and mind. The three philosophical propositions, “the unity of Heaven and man,” “the unity of self and others,” and “the unity of body and mind” of Confucianism may provide precious insight in dealing with the three above-mentioned conflicts, and we should pay special attention to these resources. Translated by Yan Xin from Jianghan Luntan 江汉论坛 (Jianghan Tribune), 2007, (1): 5–14     

Patterns of covert speech behavior and phonetic coding

In previous research a discriminative relationship has been established between patterns of covert speech behavior and the phonemic system when processing continuous linguistic material. The goal of the present research was to be more analytic and pinpoint covert neuromuscular speech patterns when one processes specific instances of phonemes. Electromyographic (EMG) recording indicated that the lips are significantly active when visually processing the letter “P” (an instance of bilabial material), but not when processing the letter “T” or a nonlinguistic control (C) stimulus. Similarly, the tongue is significantly active when processing the letter “T” (an instance of lingual-alveolar material), but not when processing the letters “P” or “C.” It is concluded that the speech musculature covertly responds systematically as a function of class of phoneme being processed. These results accord with our model that semantic processing (“understanding”) occurs when the speech (and other) musculature interacts with linguistic regions of the brain. In the interactions phonetic coding is generated and transmitted through neuromuscular circuits that have cybernetic characteristics.     

Intuitive judgments of proportions, means, and variances: A review

Recent investigations of intuitive statistical inference have been far less optimistic regarding man’s ability as an “intuitive statistician” than were Peterson and Beach in 1967. Work on judgments of variance and central tendency formed a significant part of Peterson and Beach’s review but is now regarded as peripheral. Work in this area is discussed in this review and it is concluded that it yields some understanding of the Peterson and Beach view, as subjects appear to be reasonably competent “intuitive arithmeticians.” However, it is pointed out that these tasks involve a “lower level” type of statistical judgment and that several nonnormative biases are observed, even at this level. This review arises from research conducted by the author while employed on a Social Science Research Council grant held by Dr. J.St.B.T. Evans.     

The Chan Mind: Transmission or mission-of-translation? Reading Wright’s<Emphasis Type="Italic">Philosophical Meditations</Emphasis>

Conclusion Wright maintains that tradition (including language) plays a fundamental role in the origins and shaping of the monastic world that made a unique “Chan mind” possible. Through a creative application of the Buddhist idea of “dependent origination,” Wright has broadened the hermeneutic concept of historicity in that it is more than a linear and causal relationship of contextuality (that is, the person is always a person-in-community, and the text is always a text-in-context). Instead, contextuality refers to a (w)holistic network of associations and re-associations. The word “tradition” thus becomes an open tradition that is constantly shaped and reshaped, formed and transformed. The meaning of tradition as such is always a “trace” of that other which is forever absent. In this sense, Wright is quite Derridean. Like Derrida’s deconstruction, Wright’s interpretative endeavor, as part of the tradition of “linguistic turn,” seems to become separated from the real world of flux and takes on an independent status, that is, the realm of reading, explaining, and understanding (perhaps mis-understanding, sometimes). Wright’s project fits the need of those who have a passion for “doing things with words,” and those who prefer meditative reading to meditative practice (in a Buddhist sense). Though Wright keeps reminding us that the effort to play language in relation to Chan experience does not imply that Chan enlightenment/mind is in any sense reducible to language; it still remains a question whether his critical “philosophical meditations” are fully out of the “spell of conceptuality” of the hermeneutical circle. Wright might say that there is no need to be out of the circle, or there is no such circle in the first place.     

Studying the Practice of Cooperation and Collaboration Within an International Research Project on the Everyday Lives of Families

The aim of this paper is to analyse the sociocultural dynamics underlying collaborative research. The article is based on an international collaborative project on the everyday lives of working families in Italy, Sweden and the USA. The aim of this paper is to show that collaborative research does not necessarily produce collaboration: this is possible only with very strong rules between partners. It proposes a distinction between collaboration and cooperation, and uses this distinction to examine intergroup and intragroup joint activity. Through the analysis of the communicative exchanges occurring between researchers, the paper highlights conditions in which cooperation can become fruitful collaboration.

A Bayesian Semiparametric Latent Variable Model for Mixed Responses

In this paper we introduce a latent variable model (LVM) for mixed ordinal and continuous responses, where covariate effects on the continuous latent variables are modelled through a flexible semiparametric Gaussian regression model. We extend existing LVMs with the usual linear covariate effects by including nonparametric components for nonlinear effects of continuous covariates and interactions with other covariates as well as spatial effects. Full Bayesian modelling is based on penalized spline and Markov random field priors and is performed by computationally efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We apply our approach to a German social science survey which motivated our methodological development. We thank the editor and the referees for their constructive and helpful comments, leading to substantial improvements of a first version, and Sven Steinert for computational assistance. Partial financial support from the SFB 386 “Statistical Analysis of Discrete Structures” is also acknowledged.     

列维纳斯面对康德、黑格尔、海德格尔——当代哲学关于"存在论"的争论

Levinas subverts the traditional “ontology-epistemology,” and creates a “realm of difference,” the realm of “value,” “ethic,” and “religion,” maintaining that ethics is real metaphysics. According to him, it is not that “being” contains the “other” but the other way round. In this way, the issues of ethics are promoted greatly in the realm of philosophy. Nonetheless, he does not intend to deny “ontology” completely, but reversed the relationship between “ontology (theory of truth)” and “ethics (axiology),” placing the former under the “constraint” of the latter. Different from general empirical science, philosophy focuses more on issues irrelevant to ordinary empirical objects; it does have “objects,” though. More often than not, the issues of philosophy cannot be conceptualized into “propositions”; nevertheless, it absolutely has its “theme.” As a discipline, philosophy continuously takes “being” as its “theme” and “object” of thinking. The point is that this “being” should not be understood as an “object” completely. Rather, it is still a “theme-subject.” In addition to an “object,” “being” also manifests itself in an “attribute” and a kind of “meaning” as well. In a word, it is the temporal, historical, and free “being” rather than “various beings” that is the “theme-subject” of philosophy. Translated by Zhang Lin from Wen Shi Zhe 文史哲 (Journal of Literature, History and Philosophy), 2007, (1): 61–70