Optimal test length for maximum absolute prediction

The concepts of multiple differential prediction and multiple absolute prediction are developed in earlier papers (2, 3). The problem of determining the optimal distribution of testing time for multiple differential prediction has been previously considered (4). This paper develops an analogous procedure for multiple absolute prediction. A numerical example illustrating the procedure is presented. The mathematical rationale underlying the procedure is given.This research was carried out under Contract Nonr-477(08) between the University of Washington and the Office of Naval Research. The computations were carried out by Robert Dear and Donald Mills. Much credit is due the typist, Elizabeth Cross. Supervision of both computational and editorial activities was provided by William Clemans. To each of these able contributors we are deeply grateful.     

Atomic arrangement at the 3C-SiC/Si(001) interface revealed utilising aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope

The atomistic structure of the 3C-SiC/Si(001) interface has been investigated using a combination of aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and a newly developed image processing method for eliminating artificial contrast. The structures having periods four times longer than those of the silicon lattice have been observed distinctly in images taken along both Si[110] and Si[100] directions. Contrary to theoretical models proposed previously, the interface of the three-dimensional structural model that we constructed on the basis of our experiments has a silicon-rich configuration. We have clarified that the strain field induced by the two-dimensional misfit between Si(001)-(4?×?4) and SiC(001)-(5?×?5) is relaxed by the two-dimensional network of misfit dislocations; simple edge dislocations with [100] and [010] directions and Lomer dislocations with [110] and [110] directions. The atomistic structures of the Lomer dislocations have been also clarified.     

Additive latency effects of selective and nonselective restricted priming types

The purpose of this investigation was to examine further the contention of Alain et al. (1988) that a third priming type exists, called nonselective restricted (NSR) and controlled by response probability, which is distinct from those types influenced by foreperiod duration (nonselective general priming) and prediction probability (selective priming). In a four-choice reaction time (RT) task, prediction probability (.5, .7, & .9, indicating the likelihood of a particular response) and response probability (.5, .9, denoting the likelihood that a response would be needed at all) exerted significant but noninteractive effects on RTs for prepared responses (most probable), suggesting that each of these probabilities influence different priming types (Sternberg, 1969; selective and NSR, respectively). This was further indicated by the fact that prediction probability, but not response probability, significantly altered RTs for the unprepared (lesser probable) responses. Finally, the hypothesized nonselective character of NSR priming (i.e., all outputs controlled by response probability are equally affected by its value changes) was supported when responses were equiprobable, and, while the null effect of response probability just mentioned seemingly argued against this property when selective priming took place, the interpretation provided herein negated this opposition.     

A Note on Prototypes,Convexity and Fuzzy Sets

The work on prototypes in ontologies pioneered by Rosch [10] and elaborated by Lakoff [8] and Freund [3] is related to vagueness in the sense that the more remote an instance is from a prototype the fewer people agree that it is an example of that prototype. An intuitive example is the prototypical “mother”, and it is observed that more specific instances like ”single mother”, “adoptive mother”, “surrogate mother”, etc., are less and less likely to be classified as “mothers” by experimental subjects. From a different direction Gärdenfors [4] provided a persuasive account of natural predicates to resolve paradoxes of induction like Goodman’s “Grue” predicate [5]. Gärdenfors proposed that “quality dimensions” arising from human cognition and perception impose topologies on concepts such that the ones that appear “natural” to us are convex in these topologies. We show that these two cognitive principles — prototypes and predicate convexity — are equivalent to unimodal (convex) fuzzy characteristic functions for sets. Then we examine the case when the fuzzy set characteristic function is not convex, in particular when it is multi-modal. We argue that this is an indication that the fuzzy concept should really be regarded as a super concept in which the decomposed components are subconcepts in an ontological taxonomy.     

Altering the timing of academic prompts to treat destructive behavior maintained by escape

Following a functional analysis showing that destructive behavior was reinforced by escape, we altered the aversiveness of task demands by interspersing easy and difficult tasks and by presenting a corrective prompt as an antecedent event the next time a previously failed item was presented; this procedure was compared with one in which the corrective prompt was provided as an immediate consequence. Results of a reversal design showed that the antecedent prompt acted as an establishing operation and reduced destructive behavior to zero.     

Faking and the validity of conscientiousness: a Monte Carlo investigation

The article reports the findings from a Monte Carlo investigation examining the impact of faking on the criterion-related validity of Conscientiousness for predicting supervisory ratings of job performance. Based on a review of faking literature, 6 parameters were manipulated in order to model 4,500 distinct faking conditions (5 [magnitude] x 5 [proportion] x 4 [variability] x 3 [faking-Conscientiousness relationship] x 3 [faking-performance relationship] x 5 [selection ratio]). Overall, the results indicated that validity change is significantly affected by all 6 faking parameters, with the relationship between faking and performance, the proportion of fakers in the sample, and the magnitude of faking having the strongest effect on validity change. Additionally, the association between several of the parameters and changes in criterion-related validity was conditional on the faking-performance relationship. The results are discussed in terms of their practical and theoretical implications for using personality testing for employee selection.     

A multisite comparison of actuarial risk instruments for sex offenders

Four actuarial instruments for the prediction of violent and sexual reoffending (the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide [VRAG], Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide [SORAG], Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Offender Recidivism [RRASOR] and Static-99) were evaluated in 4 samples of sex offenders (N = 396). Although all 4 instruments predicted violent (including sexual) recidivism and recidivism known to be sexually motivated, areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were consistently higher for the VRAG and the SORAG. The instruments performed better when there were fewer missing items and follow-up time was fixed, with an ROC area up to .84 for the VRAG, for example, under such favorable conditions. Predictive accuracy was higher for child molesters than for rapists, especially for the Static-99 and the RRASOR. Consistent with past research, survival analyses revealed that those offenders high in both psychopathy and sexual deviance were an especially high-risk group.     

Plotinus’ Account of the Cognitive Powers of the Soul: Sense Perception and Discursive Thought

This paper focuses on Plotinus?? account of the soul??s cognitive powers of sense perception and discursive thought, with particular reference to the treatises 3. 6 [26], 4. 4 [28] and 5. 3 [49] of the Enneads. Part 1 of the paper discusses Plotinus?? direct realism in perception. Parts 2 and 3 focus on Plotinus?? account of knowledge in Enneads 5. 3 [49] 2?C3. Plotinus there argues that we make judgements regarding how the external world is by means of discursive reasoning. This latter claim, however, is in tension with what Plotinus argues elsewhere regarding our perceptual apprehension of the external world (3. 6 [26] 1; 4. 4 [28] 23). This puzzle is addressed in Part 3 of the paper, which investigates Plotinus?? view that there exist some sense perceptions of which we are unaware. Finally, Part 4 looks at Plotinus?? understanding of Plato??s famous wax block analogy, in 5. 3 (49). The overall conclusion of the paper is that Plotinus?? account of knowledge is radically different from that of the Cartesian tradition.     

On the Complexity of Nonassociative Lambek Calculus with Unit

Nonassociative Lambek Calculus (NL) is a syntactic calculus of types introduced by Lambek [8]. The polynomial time decidability of NL was established by de Groote and Lamarche [4]. Buszkowski [3] showed that systems of NL with finitely many assumptions are decidable in polynomial time and generate context-free languages; actually the P-TIME complexity is established for the consequence relation of NL. Adapting the method of Buszkowski [3] we prove an analogous result for Nonassociative Lambek Calculus with unit (NL1). Moreover, we show that any Lambek grammar based on NL1 (with assumptions) can be transformed into an equivalent context-free grammar in polynomial time.     

A Constant-current AC shock generator

A device has been developed for the effective delivery of a preset constant current AC electric shock. The shock intensity is adjustable from zero to a maximum of 10 ma as the voltage varies between 0 to 5 kv. The 5-kv, 60-HZ, AC voltage insures a constant-current output regardless of skin contact resistance changes. Shock duration is internally controlled and a “fail safe” lockout circuit to render the apparatus inoperative is provided in case of accidental sticking or failure of control relay signals from either internal circuitry or from behavioral programming equipment.     

The geometry of factorial indeterminancy

TheN-dimensional geometry of a Spearman-Thurstone factor solution reveals two sources for the indeterminancy of factor scores: indeterminancy of total factor space and a rotational indeterminancy within a given total factor space. The analytical papers of Ledermann [4] and Guttman [2] on indeterminancy of factor scores are related to these findings and a simple vector model is developed to reveal the properties of rotational indeterminancy. The significance of factor-score indeterminancy is discussed in light of these findings.     

The paradoxes of permission an action based solution

The aim of this article is to construct a deontic logic in which the free choice postulate allow (Ross, 1941) [11] would be consistent and all the implausible result mentioned in (Hanson, in press) [5] will be blocked. To achieve this we first developed a new theory of action. Then we build a new deontic logic in which the deontic action operator and the deontic proposition operator are explicitly distinguished.     

Precipitate characteristics and selected area diffraction patterns of the β′ and Q′ precipitates in Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloys

In this study, the precipitate characteristics and selected area diffraction patterns (SADP) of the β?′ and Q?′ precipitates formed at the over-aged state of Al–Mg–Si–Cu alloys are systematically investigated by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and transition matrix. The β?′ precipitates have two cross-sections, rectangle-shaped and round-shaped aligned with [0?0?1]_Al direction, but only rectangle-shaped cross-section exists for Q?′ precipitates. And, both of them have 12 variants and orientations with Al matrix. However, there are only three different zone axes, [0?0?0?1]_β?′, [1?4?5?0]_β?′, and [5?4?1?0]_β?′ for β?′ precipitates, and [0?0?0?1]_Q?′, [1?4?5?0]_Q?′, and [3?2 1?0]_Q?′ for Q?′ precipitates, parallel to the [0?0?1]_Al direction when they are precipitated from the Al matrix, respectively. Then, a new [0?0?1]_Al SADP model, which superposes diffraction patterns of the β?′ and Q?′ precipitates, is established. Furthermore, some “cross-shaped” diffraction streaks appeared at over-aged state can be explained reasonably by this model, which is good in agreement with the experimental data.     

Relational semantics for full linear logic

Relational semantics, given by Kripke frames, play an essential role in the study of modal and intuitionistic logic. In [4] it is shown that the theory of relational semantics is also available in the more general setting of substructural logic, at least in an algebraic guise. Building on these ideas, in [5] a type of frames is described which generalise Kripke frames and provide semantics for substructural logics in a purely relational form.In this paper we study full linear logic from an algebraic point of view. The main additional hurdle is the exponential. We analyse this operation algebraically and use canonical extensions to obtain relational semantics. Thus, we extend the work in [4], [5] and use their approach to obtain relational semantics for full linear logic. Hereby we illustrate the strength of using canonical extension to retrieve relational semantics: it allows a modular and uniform treatment of additional operations and axioms.Traditionally, so-called phase semantics are used as models for (provability in) linear logic [8]. These have the drawback that, contrary to our approach, they do not allow a modular treatment of additional axioms. However, the two approaches are related, as we will explain.     

Type D personality and the Five-Factor Model: A facet-level analysis

Objective: This study assessed the degree to which NEO-PI-R facets contribute to understanding of Type D personality over and above the Big 5. Method: Healthy participants (n = 268) completed the DS14 and the NEO-PI-R. In addition to analyzing the Type D subscales of social inhibition and negative affectivity, we computed a continuous measure of Type D scored as the sum of the two subscales. Results: Facets provided moderate incremental prediction of Type D subscales. The facets of assertiveness, self-consciousness, and positive emotion provided incremental prediction of negative affectivity, and warmth, activity, and gregariousness provided incremental prediction of social inhibition. Facets provided minimal incremental prediction of continuous Type D. The Big 5 explained substantially more variance in continuous Type D (71%) than negative affectivity (59%) or social inhibition (61%). Conclusions: Overall, the facet-level analysis provided additional insights into the nature of Type D. The incremental prediction of the Type D subscales by facets supported the idea that Type D scales are narrower constructs than the Big 5. However, the strong prediction of continuous Type D by the Big 5 and the lack of incremental prediction by facets points to the overall Type D construct being well represented by the Big 5.     

Complete Axiomatizations for Reasoning about Knowledge and Branching Time

Sound and complete axiomatizations are provided for a number of different logics involving modalities for the knowledge of multiple agents and operators for branching time, extending previous work of Halpern, van der Meyden and Vardi [to appear, SIAM Journal on Computing] for logics of knowledge and linear time. The paper considers the system constraints of synchrony, perfect recall and unique initial states, which give rise to interaction axioms. The language is based on the temporal logic CTL*, interpreted with respect to a version of the bundle semantics.     

Factor structure of the childhood anxiety sensitivity index.

We developed various factor models of the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index [Silverman, W. K., Fleisig, W., Rabian, B. & Peterson, R. A. (1991). Childhood anxiety sensitivity index. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20, 162-168] and tested the goodness of fit of the models in an independent sample. Of primary interest was to examine the question that characterized the factor analytic studies conducted on the adult version of the anxiety sensitivity index, i.e. the ASI [Reiss, S., Peterson, R. A., Gursky, D. M. & McNally, R. J. (1986). Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24, 1-8]: is anxiety sensitivity in children a unidimensional construct, an orthogonal multidimensional construct, or a hierarchical construct? Two independent samples (a clinic sample and a nonclinical sample) were used for development and replication of the factor models. The clinic sample consisted of 258 children (105 girls and 153 boys) who presented to a child anxiety disorders specialty clinic. The unselected, nonclinic sample consisted of 249 children (122 girls and 127 boys) enrolled in an elementary school. The results provided strong empirical support for a hierarchical multidimensional model with either three or four first-order factors. The two factors that emerged that appeared to be robust were Physical Concerns and Mental Incapacitation Concerns. What remains unresolved is whether Control of anxiety symptoms and Social Concerns are to be differentiated (as in the hierarchical model with four first-order factors) or not (as in the hierarchical model with three first-order factors). In addition to discussing this issue, the convergence of the present study's findings with past findings obtained with the ASI is discussed.     

Transfer of value from S+ to S- in simultaneous discriminations in humans

When animals learn a simultaneous discrimination, some of the value of the positive stimulus (S+) appears to transfer to the negative stimulus (S-). The present experiments demonstrate that such value transfer can also be found in humans. In Experiment 1 humans were trained on 2 simple simultaneous discriminations, the first between a highly positive stimulus, A (1,000 points); and a negative stimulus, B (0 points); and the second between a less positive stimulus, C (100 points); and a negative stimulus, D (0 points). On test trials, most participants preferred B over D. In Experiments 2 and 3 the value of the 2 original discriminations was equated in training (A[100]B[0] and C[100]D[0]). In Experiment 2 the values of the positive stimuli were then altered (A[1,000]C[0]); again, most participants preferred B over D. In Experiment 3, however, when the values of B and D were altered (B[1,000]D[0]), participants were indifferent to A and C. Thus, the mechanism that underlies value transfer in humans appears to be related to Pavlovian second-order conditioning. Similar mechanisms may be involved in assimilation processes in social contexts.     

Attention, temporal predictability, and the time course of context effects in naming performance

Models of attention and context effects in naming performance should be able to account for the time course of color-word Stroop interference revealed by manipulations of the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between color and word. Prominent models of Stroop task performance ( [Cohen et al., 1990], [Cohen and Huston, 1994] and [Phaf et al., 1990]) fail to account for the fact that response time (RT) and Stroop interference peak at zero SOA and diminish with word preexposure. The models may be saved by assuming that the time course of interference is determined by a strategic orienting of attention to color onsets when SOA is predictable. To test this temporal predictability hypothesis, SOA was blocked or randomly mixed in Experiment 1. In addition, the time interval between color onsets was randomly variable in Experiment 2. Although RTs were affected, none of the randomization manipulations influenced the typical shape of the time course of Stroop effects. These findings provide evidence against the temporal predictability hypothesis and thereby against prominent models of the Stroop task.