MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING OF GEOMETRICAL FIGURES

In two experiments with geometrical figures as stimuli, constructed in order to generate perceptual variation of roundness and height, four multidimensional scaling methods were compared, two metric and two nonmetric. The methods gave similar solutions. The fact that the solutions could be interpreted in accordance with expectations, points to the validity of the methods.     

TWO LEAST-SQUARES SOLUTIONS FOR EKMAN'S METHOD OF DIRECT MULTIDIMENSIONAL RATIO SCALING

M icko , H. C. & L ehmann , G. Two least-squares solutions for Ekman's method of direct multidimensional ratio scaling. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1969, 10 , 57–60.-Two least-squares procedures are given for estimating scalar products of percept vectors from Ekman-type multidimensional ratio scaling data.     

MULTIDIMENSIONAL RATIO SCALING AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL SIMILARITY OF SIMPLE GEOMETRIC FIGURES

The special case of purely qualitative multidimensional similarity was studied in four experiments concerned with simple geometric figures. A previously proposed equation did not describe the relation between subjective similarity and angular separation of the percept vectors. Factor analyses indicate that in the 'homogeneous' experiments (with parallelogram figures) there were two pairs of inversely related subjective attributes which vary as a function of the difference between the horizontal and vertical axes of the parallelogram, and that in the 'heterogeneous' experiments (different figures) there were four main independent subjective attributes.     

DIMENSIONS OF WORK OUTCOMES: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING APPROACH

There exists a need for basic research on the nature of work outcomes, to facilitate integration of theory and results and to aid in the sampling of outcomes for research and evaluation. Existing research, primarily using factor analysis, has led to a hierarchical model, with numerous sub-factors grouped under the major factors of "intrinsic" and "extrinsic." Recent research, however, has shown that industrial/organizational psychologists do not agree on the definition of intrinsic and extrinsic. It is argued that a more useful approach is a dimensional model, which allows each work outcome to be described by a set of values on multiple dimensions. A multidimensional scaling analysis of 21 outcomes yields a latent structure with three dimensions: value attached to the outcome by society, level of psychological need met, and extent to which the outcome is inherent in the work itself. Implications for the sampling of outcomes and integration of different literature are discussed. The results suggest that a multidimensional model of work outcomes is more useful than a categorical approach built on the intrinsic/extrinsic dichotomy.     

MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING WITH A PRIORI DIMENSIONS

W aern Y. Multidimensional scaling with a priori dimensions. Scand. J. Psychol., 1972, 13 , 178–189.—This paper presents a method of multidimensional scaling by direct similarity estimates. The method is presented as an alternative to other multidimensional scaling methods, when hypotheses can be made concerning the dimensions underlying the perceptual variation. The method is used with five different sets of stimuli and compared, to an as to dimensions assumption-free component analysis, based on a vector model. The two methods resulted in similar configurations in most cases. One difference was found in a colour material, where the assumed dimensions could be regarded not to be orthogonal to each other. Here the a priori scaling revealed the assumed configuration as projected on the oblique axes whereas the component analysis could not give this information.     

THE USE AND UTILITY OF THE MONOTONE CRITERION IN MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING

The monotone criterion as a multidimensional scaling technique is theoret- ically and empirically evaluated using the algorithms of Kruskal (MDSCAL) and Guttman-Lingoes (SSA-1). Geometric configurations are used to test the recovery capabaty and other aspects of MDSCAL and SSA-1. In addition to theoretical shortcomings, the monotone criterion permits results which do not correspond to the shape of the input data. Because of its deficiencies, alterna- tive goodness-of-fit criteria are suggested in preference to the monotone criterion.     

A MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING APPROACH TO THE PERCEPTION OF ART. I

G oude G. A multidimensional scaling approach to the perception of art. I. Scand. J. Psyckol ., 1972, 1 3 , 258–271.—-Five experiments with similarity estimation and ratio estimation of experiences of art (paintings) were used for testing a similarity model for multidimensional scaling. A multidimensional analysis gave five interpreted factors. Graphical estimations were compared with numerical estimations. Results from naive observers were related to results from a specialist group.     

MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING OF LARGE CHROMATIC DIFFERENCES BY NORMAL AND COLOR-DEFICIENT SUBJECTS

The following two articles offer a glimpse at current experimental psychology in the Soviet Union, normally screened from the English-speaking world by all but impenetrable language barriers. The accompanying Commentary by Tarow Indow helps place these contributions in the framework of contemporary work on the psychophysics of color perception.   Abstract —
Fifteen normal trichromatic subjects, two protanopes, and two deuteranopes judged pairs of successively presented foveal color stimuli. Multidimensional scaling of the data yielded estimates of a three-dimensional space with axes interpreted as red–green, blue-yellow, and white-black. For color-deficient subjects, the average radius of the space differed from that of normals, being smaller for the protanopes and larger for the deuteranopes. For both types of color deficiency, the blue-yellow axis was stretched relative to the red-green, more strongly in the protanopes. The findings are taken to support the generality of a "spherical" model.     

DIMENSIONAL INTERPRETATION AND CONFIGURATION INVARIANCE IN MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

This paper is concerned with: a ) the invariance of nonmetric multi- dimensional scaling soludions over changes in stimulus domain; and b) pro- cedures for assisting the researcher in interpreting the axes of multidimen- sional scaling configurations. The stimuli consisted of the names of 17 popular brands of automobiles. Similarities and preference judgments were obtained from 37 subjects, divided into two groups of approximately equal size. Each group received 11 of the 17 stimuli. A core set of 6 stimuli was common over both groups. Each group also rated the 11 car models on 20 semantic differential scales. Results of the study suggested that the interpoint distances of bhe core set of 5 stimuli remained stable over subject groups and differences in stimulus set composition. Semantic differential ratings were used to find directions in the configurational space (obtained from overall similarity judg- ments) whose projections were maximally correlated with the outside (property) vectors. Stimulus configurations developed from the semantic differential space were highly congruent with those found by the analysis of direct similarity judgments. However, attempts to develop stimulus configurations by the "unfolding" of preference data alone did not lead to configurations which closely matched those found by the analysis of direct similarities data.     

A MULTIDIMENSIONAL STUDY OF PERCEPTUAL-EMOTIONAL QUALITIES IN MUSIC

W edin L. A multidimensional study of perceptual-emotional qualities in music. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1972, 13 , 241–257.—Forty musical excerpts were judged in terms of emotionally coloured adjectives using a check-list procedure and different types of sorting procedures. Similarities were estimated by rank correlation or simple confusion indices and nonmetric multidimensional scaling was applied. Three dimensions were txtracted and labelled Intensity-Softness, Pleasantness-Unpleasantness and Solemnity-Triviality. These qualities were then related to the stimulus qualities judged in more "technical" terms like tempo, pitch, modality etc.     

A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH FOR EVALUATING VARIABLES IN ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

One of the most difficult tasks facing industrial-organizational psychologists is evaluating the importance of variables, especially new variables, to be included in the prediction of some outcome. When multiple regression is used, common practices suggest evaluating the usefulness of new variables by showing incremental validity beyond the set of existing variables. This approach assures that the new variables are not statistically redundant with this existing set, but this approach attributes any shared criterion-related validity to the existing set of variables and none to the new variables. More importantly, incremental validity alone fails to answer the question directly about the importance of variables included in a regression model—arguably the more important statistical concern for practitioners. To that end, the current article reviews 2 indices of relative importance, general dominance weights and relative weights, which may be used to complement incremental validity evidence and permit organizational decision makers to make more precise and informed decisions concerning the usefulness of predictor variables. We illustrate our approach by reanalyzing the correlation matrices from 2 published studies.     

视觉追踪作业心理负荷的多变量评估研究

敏感性是心理负荷测量技术可靠性的基本要求。该研究利用主任务绩效、次任务绩效、主观“加权负荷”评定和心率变异变化率四项指标,在计算机模拟情境下对视觉追踪作业心理负荷进行多变量评估实验。结果发现,以上述四项指标为基础建立的“综合加权评估指数”是一项较有效的评估指标,其敏感性远高于任何单独的评定。     

A STUDY OF FOUR METHODS FOR SCALING PAIRED COMPARISONS DATA

An experiment of paired comparisons of nine lotteries is reported. Ratings were also made of apparent magnitude of difference in each pair. Conventional techniques as well as the author's correlational scaling method were applied on paired comparisons data. Ratings were analyzed according to successive intervals scaling. Non-linear relations between scales were found. Dispersion terms from correlational scaling covary with those from the analysis of ratings.     

ON THE DANGERS OF AVERAGING ACROSS SUBJECTS WHEN USING MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING OR THE SIMILARITY-CHOICE MODEL

Abstract— When ratings of judged similarity or frequencies of stimulus identification are averaged across subjects, the psychological structure of the data is fundamentally changed. Regardless of the structure of the individual-subject data, the averaged similarity data will likely be well fit by a standard multidimensional scaling model, and the averaged identification data will likely be well fit by the similarity-choice model. In fact, both models often provide excellent fits to averaged data, even if they fail to fit the data of each individual subject. Thus, a good fit of either model to averaged data cannot be taken as evidence that the model describes the psychological structure that characterizes individual subjects. We hypothesize that these effects are due to the increased symmetry that is a mathematical consequence of the averaging operation.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOME MULTIDIMENSIONAL VECTOR MODELS FOR SUBJECTIVE SIMILARITY

E kehammar B. A comparative study of some multidimensional vector models for subjective similarity. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1972, 1 3 , 190–197.—h this report, two theoretical vector models for subjective similarity were deduced from a "content" definition of subjective similarity. One of the derived similarity equations proved in empirical model testing to describe the similarity principle in perception of form better than earlier, similar models. Deviations between observed similarity estimates and values expected according to the model are discussed, among other things, in terms of the heterogeneity of the stimulus set.     

A METHOD FOR SCALING VERBAL DISQUALIFICATION

A disqualification is a message that says something “without really saying it”—one that is evasive, indirect, or effectively ambiguous in some other way. This article describes the rationale for, and development of, an objective method for measuring the degree of disqualification in brief written messages: nonexpert judges independently assess four basic elements of the message (sender, content, receiver, context) for ambiguity, by use of a physical scale of length. The raw scale values are standardized for each judge, and the reliability of these values is quite high. Research uses of the method, as well as its limitations and possible modifications, are discussed.     

A SCALING METHOD FOR MEASURING COLOR CONSTANCY

Recently developed types of indirect psychophysical scaling method served as starting point in finding a handy procedure for measuring differences in the degrees of 'color constancy'. A design for carrying out categorical comparisons with color paper proofs was constructed. The raw scores, given as percentage distributions, prove transformable into standard scale values. These demonstrate the shifted positions of the colors in question when presented in alternating conditions of illumination.     

IMAGES OF CRIME: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN CRIME PERCEPTION

Implicit cognitive representations of crime were studied using a multidimensional scaling procedure, in order to determine (a) the dimensions underlying crime perception, (b) the relationship between such subjective dimensions and the objective seriousness and frequency of crimes, (c) the extent to which a priori crime categories such as offences against persons, property or public order are separated in cognitive space, and (d) the relationship between the judges' demographic, attitudinal, cognitive and personality characteristics and crime perception. Four dimensions, concern, violence, commonness and intentionality were found to underlie perceptions of crime. Objective crime characteristics such as seriousness were only loosely related to subjective representations and a priori crime categories were significantly differentiated in this cognitive space. The subjects' sex, political orientation and personality were significantly related to crime perception. The results are discussed in terms of the applicability of these techniques to the study of natural cognitions of crime by such groups are juries, judges, policemen, victims and criminals.