Psychometric analysis of the Minnesota Test of Critical Thinking

With the increase over the past two decades in interest in critical thinking instruction, reliable and valid means for measuring critical thinking are necessary. The Minnesota Test of Critical Thinking was developed to measure critical thinking as defined by the American Philosophical Association in 1990. The present purpose was to explore the structure and reliability of the intervention and its instantiation of the critical thinking framework. Analyses of responses from 151 adult participants gave estimates of reliability varying from .29 to .78. A factor analysis of the test scores supported critical thinking conceptualized as a single, latent trait. With further refinement, the invention should become a valuable measure of general critical thinking skills of upper-division secondary and postsecondary students.     

Internal structure and standardised scores of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking

The present work sets out to study the internal structure of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) and to establish standardised scores that will enable the test to be used in both a diagnostic and educational context. 649 students (319 girls and 330 boys), aged 5 to 12 years from various schools in Murcia and Alicante (SE Spain), took part in the study. The findings suggest that the psychometric characteristics of TTCT are satisfactory, and its internal structure can be attributed to three factors that are responsible for a high percentage of the variance (73.8%). The standardised score tables, which are provided for first time in this context, will be useful in the evaluation of creativity and the identification of students with high intellectual abilities.     

Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation of the Transgender Adaptation and Integration Measure (TG AIM)

ABSTRACT

Transgender individuals have a gender identity or expression that is not congruent with their anatomy (Bullough, 2000). Limited empirical data are available regarding the mental health and general well-being of the transgender population. In addition, few standardized measures have been developed specifically for transgender individuals. The main purpose of this study was item and scale development of a measure of adjustment for transgender adults, as well as the assessment of the internal consistency and validity of the measure. Responses to the Transgender Adaptation and Integration Measure (TG AIM) were collected from a sample of 108 self-identified male-to-female transsexual adults. Standardized measures of quality of life and self-esteem were also administered to participants in order to assess construct-related validity. Factor analysis of the measure identified four factors: Gender-Related Fears, Psychosocial Impact of Gender Status, Coping and Gender Reorientation Efforts, and Gender Locus of Control. Internal consistency for each of the four factors ranged from r = .59 to r = .81. Psychosocial Impact of Gender Status and Gender-Related Fears were positively correlated with self-esteem and quality of life. Coping and Gender Reorientation Efforts were significantly correlated to both Psychosocial Impact of Gender Status and Gender-Related Fears. Preliminary psychometric analysis resulted in a 15 item, multidimensional measure with three reliable and valid subscales for use with male to female (MtF) transsexual adults. Further psychometric evaluation of the measure for use with other segments of the transgender population is needed.     

Psychometric Evaluation of an Alternate Scoring for the Remote Associates Test

The Remote Associates Test (RAT; Mednick, 1962; Mednick & Mednick, 1967) is a commonly employed test of creative convergent thinking. The RAT is scored with a dichotomous scoring, scoring correct answers as 1 and all other answers as 0. Based on recent research into the information processing underlying RAT performance, we argued that the dichotomous scoring may lead to a loss of potentially relevant information. Thus, we proposed an alternate scoring based on semantic similarity between the answer given by the participant and the correct solution using Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA; Landauer & Dumais, 1997). We evaluate the psychometric properties of the alternate LSA scoring and found evidence of construct validity for the LSA scoring which was comparable to findings for the standard scoring, but not better as we would have expected. Thus, our expectations that LSA-based scoring of the RAT counteracts potential information loss were not met. However, LSA based scorings appear to be a promising alternative for hardly solvable RAT items. We conducted additional analyses comparing different RAT item types with regard to their validity as well as evaluating the information uniquely contained in the LSA scoring. Implications of all finding for existing research using RAT items are discussed.     

Measuring the Creative Process: A Psychometric Examination of Creative Ideation and Grit

Within the investment theory of creativity (Sternberg & Lubart, 1996), creativity is defined as a 2-part process of buying low by investing in unusual ideas and then selling high by convincing others of the value or usefulness of these new ideas. This process requires both creative ideation and perseverance. The purpose of this research was to examine the psychometric properties of instrumentation proposed to assess the 2 underlying constructs in this definition: the creative ideational behavior required to buy low and the persevering behavior required to sell high. In particular, psychometric properties of a creativity ideation measure, the Runco Ideational Behavior Scale (RIBS Scale: Runco, Plucker, & Lim, 2001) and a perseverance measure, the Grit Scale (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007) were examined in this study. Two samples of undergraduate students (N = 187; N = 817) completed a survey including these two scales and demographic information. Factor analyses were performed on the RIBS and Grit Scales. The RIBS Scale was found to have a 2-factor structure and 2 proposed new subscales. The Grit Scale’s previously reported 2-factor structure was confirmed.     

Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for Arab American Adolescents

The multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) was revised for Arab American adolescents (MSPSS-AA). Items measuring social support from significant others were omitted and items measuring support from school personnel were added based on advice from cultural experts. The sample consisted of 635 Arab American young adolescents in metropolitan Detroit. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the proposed three-factor solution (family, friends, and school personnel). Internal consistency coefficients for the three subscales of family (α = 0.63), friends (α = 0.75), school personnel (α = 0.72) were good. As predicted, perceived support from family, friends, and school personnel were inversely related to self reports of daily hassles and internalizing behavior and positively related to assistance seeking coping, which provides evidence for construct validity. Support for discriminant validity was also demonstrated with significantly larger correlations between the MSPSS-AA Family subscale and daily hassles specific to parents and the MSPSS-AA Friend subscale and daily hassles specific to peers. These finding suggest that the MSPSS-AA is reliable and valid for use with Arab-American adolescents.     

Assessing Cultural Adaptation: Psychometric Properties of the Cultural Adaptation Pain Scale

This article explores the psychometric properties of a newly developed Cultural Adaptation Pain Scale. This scale is designed to assess the degree of subjective pain, social distance, and discouragement that may be related to cultural adaptation. Factor analyses revealed 4 factors in the scale that had an overall Cronbach's alpha of .85. Implications for multicultural counseling are discussed.     

中学生创造性思维能力自评测验的编制

创造性思维有多种构成,其能力表现也有多种,即创造性思维能力是多维结构的.常用的最佳表现测验形式,无法良好测量其多维结构.一些研究者认为创造性思维能力是个体内在稳定的智力品质,并尝试使用典型表现测验来测量.本研究沿用此思路,尝试开发一套中学生创造性思维能力自评测验,即测查个体在日常生活中是否具有一些典型的习惯或行为方式.采用理论的探讨与实证分析相结合的方法,取得如下结果:(1)确定创造性思维能力的10维测评结构;(2)经过两轮测试检验,形成正式测验,信效度良好.     

Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire

Two studies were conducted in order to investigate the psychometric properties of Italian version of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Results from Study 1 (N = 401) provided support of the factorial validity of its four facets (self‐efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience), as well as of its composite factor measure. Results from Study 2 (N = 465) attested the measurement invariance of the PCQ across one year. Study 2 also explored the relationship between psychological capital, job satisfaction, work engagement, and job performance. Limitations and practical implications are discussed in the article.     

Affective Induction and Creative Thinking

Three studies explored the relation between affect and production of creative divergent thinking, assessed with the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Figural TTCT). In the first study, general, positive, and negative affect, assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) were compared with creative production. In the second study, 2 affective states—happiness and sadness—were induced by means of 2 film sets, and creative production under these 2 conditions was compared. In the third study, using masked facial feedback, 2 affective states were induced: happiness—by requesting participants to hold a pencil in their teeth—and anger—by holding it with their lips—and creative production under both induced affects, as well as with a previous noninduced affect, was compared. In general terms, the results of all 3 studies show that positive affect, both general positive affect and the happy affect induced in the two experimental manipulations, increased the production of creative divergent thinking. Negative affect had no impact on the production of creative divergent thinking, neither general negative affect nor the experimentally induced affects of sadness and anger. In masked induction, the induced positive affect improved creative production, compared to the noninduced control situation; in contrast, the induced negative affect presented no differences in creative production, compared to its previous noninduced condition.     

生命科学研究与创新思维——我国生命科学研究现状与思考

分析总结了我国现代生命科学研究中存在的一些问题,如重复性研究,文献复习不够,文章中数据较少,一稿多投等,并分析了出现这些问题的原因:科研经费严重不足,没有足够的科研时间,缺乏科学的科研机制,急功近利,缺乏公正严格的评价标准和体系等。就这些问题提出来一些应对策略,如改革科研体制,集中统筹安排科研经费,完善科研管理制度,加强创新思维的培养等等。     

Investigation of Psychometric Properties of the Test for Creative Thinking—Drawing Production: Evidence from Study in Latvia

The Test for Creative Thinking—Drawing Production (TCT‐DP) is designed as an effective drawing‐based instrument for measuring creative potential. Many studies report adaptation efforts in other cultures pointing out good psychometric properties of the instrument nonetheless revealing also some trouble spots. The present study includes adaptation of TCT‐DP in Latvia and investigation of psychometric properties of the instrument such as measurement invariance between forms, sequence effect, gender differences, and factor structure of criteria employing methodology of structural equation modeling. Two samples were involved in the study—9th‐grade students (n = 300) and 15‐year‐old 9th‐grade students (n = 200). Results indicate that trained judges are able to achieve high reliability in evaluation of TCT‐DP total score and all criteria if some criteria are divided into subcategories. It was also found that TCT‐DP has measurement invariance between both forms but has small effect sizes regarding gender differences and method sequence. Observed differences of TCT‐DP total scores between the Latvian sample and relevant samples from Germany and Hong Kong could be considered as trivial. The study also revealed that, following original instructions, some test criteria had strong interdependence and therefore strategies in the evaluation process reducing interdependencies between criteria should be considered in future studies on the structure of TCT‐DP.     

创造性认知风格、创造性人格与创造性思维的关系

对315名初中生施测Kirton适应–创新认知风格问卷、Williams创造性倾向量表和Torrance创造性思维测验任务,以考察创造性认知风格、创造性人格与创造性思维之间的关系。相关分析表明,在创造性认知风格中,效率性、规则性均与创造性思维呈显著负相关;在创造性人格中,冒险性、好奇心及挑战性均与创造性思维显著正相关。回归分析进一步表明,在创造性认知风格中,创新性、效率性分别正向、负向预测创造性思维,在创造性人格中,好奇心正向预测创造性思维;对回归系数的逐步检验发现,创新性维度通过创造性人格而对创造性思维具有间接的积极影响。结构方程模型结果则显示,创新性维度、规则性维度以创造性人格为中介分别对创造性思维发生间接的积极、消极影响。可见,创新认知风格有利于创造性思维,而适应认知风格不利于创造性思维;创造性人格有利于创造性思维;创造性人格在创造性认知风格与创造性思维之间具有一定的中介作用,创新性认知风格通过创造性人格而促进创造性思维,规则性认知风格通过创造性人格而抑制创造性思维。     

创造性思维的脑机制

创造性思维是创造性的核心。近年来,脑电和脑成像技术的发展为研究创造性思维的神经基础提供了有力的技术支持,对创造性思维的脑机制研究取得了较大进展。创造性思维的脑机制研究主要包括顿悟的脑机制、发散性思维的脑机制、远距离联想的脑机制、言语创造性和图画创造性的对比的脑机制研究。研究结果显示创造性思维需要多个脑区的参与,因不同的认知任务其关键脑区而有所不同。对创造性思维的脑机制研究进行了总结,对这些研究可能存在创造性思维究竟应该定义为“领域一般的”还是“领域特殊的”的解释进行了讨论,并指出了研究中可能存在的基线任务设置问题和未来研究中需要在研究手段、研究设计、研究领域等方面加以改进的建议     

Psychometric properties of the Hooper Visual Organization Test

The psychometric properties of the Hooper Vsual Organization Test (VOT) have not been well investigated Here the authors present internal consistency and interrater reliability coefficients, and an item analysis, using data from a sample (N = 281) of "cognitively impaired" and "cognitively intact" patients, and patients with undetermined cognitive status. Coefficient alpha for the VOT total sample was .882. An item analysis found that 26 of the 30 items were good at discriminating among patients. Also, the interrater reliabilities for three raters (.992), two raters (.988), and one rater (.977) were excellent. Therefore, the judgmental scoring of the VOT does not interfere significantly with its clinical utility. The authors conclude that the VOT is a psychometrically sound test.     

Meta‐Analyses of the Relationship of Creative Achievement to Both IQ and Divergent Thinking Test Scores

There is disagreement among researchers about whether IQ tests or divergent thinking (DT) tests are better predictors of creative achievement. Resolving this dispute is complicated by the fact that some research has shown a relationship between IQ and DT test scores (e.g., Runco & Albert, 1986; Wallach, 1970). The present study conducted meta‐analyses of the relationships between creative achievement and both IQ and DT test scores. The analyses included 17 studies (with 5,544 participants) that established the correlation coefficients between IQ and creative achievement and 27 studies (with 47,197 participants) that established the correlation coefficients between DT test scores and creative achievement. Marginal, but statistically significant, Fisher's Z‐transformed correlation coefficients were revealed. The analysis found a significantly higher relationship between DT test scores and creative achievement (r = .216) than between IQ test scores and creative achievement (r = .167). The differences in the correlation coefficients were explained by differences in DT tests, creative achievement types, predicted time periods, and creativity subscales. The significant independent moderator effect for different DT tests indicates that the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) predict creative achievement better than any other DT test included in this study. Among the creative achievement types, music is predicted the best by IQ and all others are predicted best by DT tests. Among the time periods evaluated, the relationship between DT test scores and creative achievement had the highest correlation at the period of 11–15 years.