Research utilization: The state of the art

As a field of study, “research utilization” is at a turning point. Despite an accumulation of replicable findings, robust constructs, even a “soft technology” for bridging the gap between theory and practice, we are still largely in the situation of the distance between social problems of, let us say, conflict or inequality and the ability of social science to provide credible, reliable and usable solutions. At the same time, the initial paradigms, suffering from hyperrationalism, have given way to more transactional ones, and have been shaken by the tenets of postmodernism. Shaken, but not undone, as “middle-level” constructs emerge, ones that appear to link the research community with a variety of professional communities in more meaningful and durable ways. Michael Huberman has been Visiting Professor of Education at Harvard University since 1991, where he teaches research methodologies and conducts research on knowledge dissemination. He is also Senior Research Associate at the Network, Inc.     

Missing data: prevalence and reporting practices

Results are described for a survey assessing prevalence of missing data and reporting practices in studies with missing data in a random sample of empirical research journal articles from the PsychINFO database for the year 1999, two years prior to the publication of a special section on missing data in Psychological Methods. Analysis indicates missing data problems were found in about one-third of the studies. Further, analytical methods and reporting practices varied widely for studies with missing data. One may consider these results as baseline data to assess progress as reporting standards evolve for studies with missing data. Some potential reporting standards are discussed.     

Objects and attention: the state of the art

What are the units of attention? In addition to standard models holding that attention can select spatial regions and visual features, recent work suggests that in some cases attention can directly select discrete objects. This paper reviews the state of the art with regard to such 'object-based' attention, and explores how objects of attention relate to locations, reference frames, perceptual groups, surfaces, parts, and features. Also discussed are the dynamic aspects of objecthood, including the question of how attended objects are individuated in time, and the possibility of attending to simple dynamic motions and events. The final sections of this review generalize these issues beyond vision science, to other modalities and fields such as auditory objects of attention and the infant's 'object concept'.     

Color display systems: The state of the art

This paper presents the basic dimensions and characteristics of the nine currently marketed self-contained color display systems that could conceivably be employed by psychologists for instruction and research in psychology. The systems all cost less than $10,000, with the least expensive systems costing less than $2,000. The systems are compared on several significant variables to aid in the process of selection. The uses of this type of color display system for research and instruction in psychology are described.     

Personal identity and bioethics: the state of the art

In this introduction to the special issue of Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics on the topic of personal identity and bioethics, I provide a background for the topic and then discuss the contributions in the special issue by Eric Olson, Marya Schechtman, Tim Campbell and Jeff McMahan, James Delaney and David Hershenov, and David DeGrazia.     

Masculinity and femininity scales: current state of the art

A theoretical and empirical review of masculinity and femininity scales was carried out after 30 years of their existence. Hypotheses to be tested were: (a) muldimensionality versus bidimensionality; (b) inadequate percentage of variance accounted for (less than 50%); (c) inconsistency between factor structure and the dualistic model. 618, 200 and 287 students took part in each of the three studies that were carried out. Factorial analyses (PAF) were performed. Results support multidimensionality, unsatisfactory percentage of variance accounted for, and lack of congruence between obtained factors and the dualistic model. All these data were analysed within the context of the twofold sex and gender reality model.     

Neurodevelopmental assessment of the young child: the state of the art

A wide variety of tests are available to assess the central nervous system (CNS) function of the toddler and preschool-aged child. These tests vary as to function; qualities and abilities tapped; facility with which they can be learned, administered, and scored; availability of test materials and manuals or training videos; and strength of standardization and validation data. Some were developed to screen development of large numbers of children. Others were developed to evaluate a child for diagnosis of disability or delineation of a child's strengths and weaknesses. Some broadly screen or assess multiple aspects of development, while some focus on specific abilities. A limitation of all these tests is that they tap only a small portion of a child's abilities at a given point in time. Administration of a variety of different tests provides a more complete evaluation of a child's abilities. Tests that can follow a child's development over time tap into the continuum of human development. The ability to measure various aspects of CNS functional development is a first step in addressing our greatest challenge, how to promote and support a child's development.     

Spiritual robots: Religion and our scientific view of the natural world

Religion plays a powerful role in the formation of scientific theories. By comparing the goals and practice of robotics and artificial intelligence in the US and Japan, differences between the two countries can be traced to their religious environments. Christian expectations of cosmic purpose and hope for salvation in purified, unearthly bodies leads to US researchers' preference for artificial intelligence over humanoid robots, a desire to see cosmic meaning in the development of that intelligence, and salvation of human minds in virtual, non-biological bodies. In Japan, robots, which have been the subjects of ritual consecrations and religious transcendence, participate in a fundamental sanctity of the natural world. A positive outlook on being human promotes a preference for humanoid robots and a future in which robots serve human beings, who do not forsake their bodies for virtual lives. Divergent scientific strategies cannot be separated from the religious worlds of their practitioners.     

Missing data techniques for structural equation modeling

As with other statistical methods, missing data often create major problems for the estimation of structural equation models (SEMs). Conventional methods such as listwise or pairwise deletion generally do a poor job of using all the available information. However, structural equation modelers are fortunate that many programs for estimating SEMs now have maximum likelihood methods for handling missing data in an optimal fashion. In addition to maximum likelihood, this article also discusses multiple imputation. This method has statistical properties that are almost as good as those for maximum likelihood and can be applied to a much wider array of models and estimation methods.     

The state of the art and the fate of the earth

A recent review by Nevin of Jonathan Schell's The Fate of the Earth applies a “behavioral perspective” to the problem of species survival in a nuclear age. It is suggested that no perspective, in this context as in others where less is at stake, should dismiss prematurely some useful ideas from other perspectives. A sampling of “cognitive” concepts is offered to illustrate what actions, aimed at resisting species extinction, might follow from them—not instead of, but in addition to, the guidelines for action a behavioral perspective provides.     

Missing piece of the puzzle in the science of consciousness: Resting state and endogenous correlates of consciousness

Consciousness still stands as one of the most interesting and the most elusive problems of neuroscience. Finding its correlates is the first step toward its satisfactory explanation. Several theories have proposed its correlates but none of them seem to be generally accepted even though most of them share some very similar elements. These elements are the activity of the thalamus, which is considered by some as the central region for consciousness, and gamma synchronization, which should be the general principal for the emergence of conscious experience. However, all of these proposed theories share one characteristic and that is that they do not take into consideration the recently discovered endogenous activity of the brain, which is generally associated with the default mode network. Although the activity of this large scale brain network is in correlation with various levels of consciousness it is still missing in discussions of consciousness. This review recognizes the importance of endogenous activity and points out the important discoveries of endogenous activity that could be an important step toward a satisfactory explanation of consciousness.