UNDERSTANDING DATA WHEN INTERACTIONS ARE PRESENT OR HYPOTHESIZED

Abstract— The traditional approach to interpreting data when an interaction is present is to interpret cell means as reflecting a difference between differences. An alternative is in interpret any main effects and separately interpret interaction residuals Interpretation of interaction residuals can sometimes lead to nonsensical conclusions. Thus in deciding between the approaches, researchers should consider (a) the conceptual nature of the variables involved, (b) relevant theories and (c) the additional data that might be necessary to distinguish among competing plausible representations. Issues have also arisen regarding how to best test a hypothesis that involves interaction variance. Some researchers have argued that the use of a focused contrast designed to test a specific ordering of cell means (e g., a linear contrast) is often the best strategy. We note potential problems with the use of such contrasts and discourage researchers form blanket use of contrasts that combine main effect and interaction variance.     

2～5岁儿童在不同情境中对"大"与"小"的理解

选取2~5岁汉语儿童,考察其在不同情境和不同转换程度下,对形容词“大”和“小”的理解。结果显示:(1)情境类型、转换程度和年龄分别对儿童理解“大”与“小”有显著影响,但三者交互作用不明显。(2)就情境类型而言,儿童在感知情境中理解“大”与“小”较为容易;就转换程度而言,儿童在不同情境的转换条件下理解“大”与“小”最为困难;儿童对“大”和“小”理解随年龄增长而上升。总体来说,情境特点对2~5岁儿童理解“大”与“小”有重要影响,对早期教育有启示。     

Self-Explanations: How Students Study and Use Examples in Learning to Solve Problems

The present paper analyzes the self-generated explanations (from talk-aloud protocols) that “Good” and “Poor” students produce while studying worked-out examples of mechanics problems, and their subsequent reliance on examples during problem solving. We find that “Good” students learn with understanding: They generate many explanations which refine and expand the conditions for the action parts of the example solutions, and relate these actions to principles in the text. These self-explanations are guided by accurate monitoring of their own understanding and misunderstanding. Such learning results in example-independent knowledge and in a better understanding of the principles presented in the text. “Poor” students do not generate sufficient self-explanations, monitor their learning inaccurately, and subsequently rely heavily on examples. We then discuss the role of self-explanations in facilitating problem solving, as well as the adequacy of current AI models of explanation-based learning to account for these psychological findings.     

论《苏氏易传》的"卦合爻别"说

苏轼站在义理易的立场,从卦爻结构的角度直接阐明了其解易宗旨.他在解卦中多以"卦合而言之"、"爻别而观之"以启文端.这就是<苏氏易传>在解卦实践中提出的"卦合爻别"说.我们可以从苏轼易学的立场、苏轼对易学史上卦爻结构观的考察以及对"卦合爻别"方法的实际运用,来理解苏轼在卦爻结构观上的"卦合爻别"说.     

Executive cognitive functioning and the recognition of facial expressions of emotion in incarcerated violent offenders, non-violent offenders, and controls

Violence is a social problem that carries enormous costs; however, our understanding of its etiology is quite limited. A large body of research exists, which suggests a relationship between abnormalities of the frontal lobe and aggression; as a result, many researchers have implicated deficits in so-called "executive function" as an antecedent to aggressive behaviour. Another possibility is that violence may be related to problems interpreting facial expressions of emotion, a deficit associated with many forms of psychopathology, and an ability linked to the prefrontal cortex. The current study investigated performance on measures of executive function and on a facial-affect recognition task in 20 violent offenders, 20 non-violent offenders, and 20 controls. In support of our hypotheses, both offender groups performed significantly more poorly on measures of executive function relative to controls. In addition, violent offenders were significantly poorer on the facial-affect recognition task than either of the other two groups. Interestingly, scores on these measures were significantly correlated, with executive deficits associated with difficulties accurately interpreting facial affect. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of a broader understanding of violent behaviour.     

Does psychopathology predict counseling duration?

Many university counseling centers have adopted case management policies in an effort to conserve limited resources. Fearing that students with more severe problems will consume too many clinical resources, many counseling centers have decided to refer such students to external agencies or providers for mental health services. However, this fear might be unwarranted because empirical research has not shown a substantial relationship between psychopathology and counseling duration. This investigation examined whether a new treatment-planning inventory, the Butcher Treatment Planning Inventory, might be useful for better understanding the relationships between various problem areas and counseling duration. Participants were new clients (students and staff members) at a university counseling center in the southeastern USA. Professional staff members and graduate students in counselor education, clinical psychology, and clinical social work provided counseling services to the participants. Lower scores on several scales predicted counseling duration. In other words, clients with lower scores on these scales (representing less psychopathology) attended more counseling sessions than clients with greater psychopathology. Therapists' background also predicted counseling duration; clients who worked with either a professional staff member or graduate student in counselor education attended more sessions than clients who worked with a graduate student in clinical psychology. The results of this study, combined with previous research, suggest that measures of psychopathology are not very useful for identifying which clients will complete long-term counseling. Until better information becomes available, actuarial tables remain the most efficient means for predicting counseling duration.     

Facilitating Collaborative Knowledge Building

This article describes a detailed analysis of knowledge building in a problem-based learning group. Knowledge building involves increasing the collective knowledge of a group through social discourse. For knowledge building to occur in the classroom, the teacher needs to create opportunities for constructive discourse in order to support student learning and collective knowledge building. In problem-based learning, students learn through collaborative problem solving and reflecting on their experiences. The setting for this study is a group of second-year medical students working with an expert facilitator. The analysis was designed to understand how the facilitator provided opportunities for knowledge-building discourse and how the learners accomplished collective knowledge building. We examined episodes of knowledge-building discourse, the questions and statements that the students and facilitator generated throughout the tutorial, the change in their understanding of the problem that they were solving, and the collective knowledge that was constructed. The results indicate that the group worked to progressively improve their ideas through engaging in knowledge-building discourse. The facilitator helped support knowledge building through asking open-ended metacognitive questions and catalyzing group progress. Students took responsibility for advancing the group's understanding as they asked many high-level questions and built on each others thinking to construct collaborative explanations. The results of this study provide suggestions for orchestrating knowledge-building discourse.     

The relationship between multilevel models and non‐parametric multilevel mixture models: Discrete approximation of intraclass correlation,random coefficient distributions,and residual heteroscedasticity

Multilevel data structures are common in the social sciences. Often, such nested data are analysed with multilevel models (MLMs) in which heterogeneity between clusters is modelled by continuously distributed random intercepts and/or slopes. Alternatively, the non‐parametric multilevel regression mixture model (NPMM) can accommodate the same nested data structures through discrete latent class variation. The purpose of this article is to delineate analytic relationships between NPMM and MLM parameters that are useful for understanding the indirect interpretation of the NPMM as a non‐parametric approximation of the MLM, with relaxed distributional assumptions. We define how seven standard and non‐standard MLM specifications can be indirectly approximated by particular NPMM specifications. We provide formulas showing how the NPMM can serve as an approximation of the MLM in terms of intraclass correlation, random coefficient means and (co)variances, heteroscedasticity of residuals at level 1, and heteroscedasticity of residuals at level 2. Further, we discuss how these relationships can be useful in practice. The specific relationships are illustrated with simulated graphical demonstrations, and direct and indirect interpretations of NPMM classes are contrasted. We provide an R function to aid in implementing and visualizing an indirect interpretation of NPMM classes. An empirical example is presented and future directions are discussed.     

Doing interpreting within interaction: The interactive accomplishment of a “Henna Gaijin” or “Strange Foreigner”

The aims of this paper are: (1) to criticize the traditional conception of understanding in sociology; (2) to show how doing interpreting is achieved within the activity the participant is currently involved in; (3) to show how an individual's special characteristics, e.g., a "strange foreigner," are constructed and used within the actual trajectory of interaction; and (4) to demonstrate how the participants in the so-called intercultural communication 'do cultural differences' within interaction.     

问题表征过程的一项研究

问题表征是解决问题时理解问题的方式．本研究选用智力数学题为实验作业,通过详细分析３４名大学生被试的问题表征环节及他们问题解决的结果,探讨问题表征中的信息加工过程及其对问题解决结果的影响．实验结果表明：（１）正确的问题表征是解决问题的必要前提,在错误的或者不完整的问题空间中进行搜索不可能求得问题的正确解．（２）问题表征是对问题信息的提取和理解的过程,问题规则在问题表征中起重要作用．（３）在问题表征过程中,导致建构出错误的或者不完整的问题空间的因素包括：信息遗漏（未能将问题的有关信息全部提取出来）,信息误解（对某些问题信息做了错误的分析和理解）,隐喻干扰（问题信息中潜在的歧义性使被试困惑或误导被试的解题思路）等．     

Psychological validation of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) in South Africa: Method effects and dimensionality in black African and white university students

The study examined the factor structure and cross-cultural validity of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) in a sample of South African students (N = 862; black African = 67%, female = 71.5%). Alternative a priori CFA models (unidimensional, bi-dimensional and unidimensional models comprising either latent method factor or correlated residuals) were evaluated. Results indicated that the RSES in black and white South African university students is represented by a unidimensional model with correlated residuals of negatively and positively phrased items. Findings also suggested method effects on black African students to be significantly associated with negatively worded items compared to white students. Method bias effects appear to show for some RSES items and this may have important implications for the cross-cultural utility of the RSES in South Africa.     

Means of Assessing Ordinal Interactions in Social Psychology: The Case of Sexism in Judgments of Social Power

This article assesses the efficacy of several statistical methods used for detecting male sexism in ratings of social power. Sexist ratings would be indicated through the observation of an ordinal interaction where female powerholders suffer when being rated by male targets. Such an interaction is typically assessed through an ANOVA. However, Bobko (1986) and Strube & Bobko (1989) recommend alternate methods that may be more appropriate. These methods are reviewed and evaluated using data obtained from 381 undergraduate students. Participants provided ratings of their male and female supervisors' power usage. Analysis indicates that the methods for detecting ordinal interactions recommended by Bobko & Strube are more appropriate than the traditional ANOVA. Furthermore, sexist ratings were observed for 3 of 6 power bases.     

The insidious effects of failing to include design-driven correlated residuals in latent-variable covariance structure analysis

In practice, the inclusion of correlated residuals in latent-variable models is often regarded as a statistical sleight of hand, if not an outright form of cheating. Consequently, researchers have tended to allow only as many correlated residuals in their models as are needed to obtain a good fit to the data. The current article demonstrates that this strategy leads to the underinclusion of residual correlations that are completely justified on the basis of measurement theory and research design. In many designs, the absence of such correlations will not substantially harm the fit of the model; however, failure to include them can change the meaning of the extracted latent variables and generate potentially misleading results. Recommendations include (a) returning to the full multitrait-multimethod design when measurement theory implies the existence of shared method variance and (b) abandoning the evil-but-necessary attitude toward correlated residuals when they reflect intended features of the research design.     

Attention effects on auditory scene analysis: insights from event-related brain potentials

Sounds emitted by different sources arrive at our ears as a mixture that must be disentangled before meaningful information can be retrieved. It is still a matter of debate whether this decomposition happens automatically or requires the listener’s attention. These opposite positions partly stem from different methodological approaches to the problem. We propose an integrative approach that combines the logic of previous measurements targeting either auditory stream segregation (interpreting a mixture as coming from two separate sources) or integration (interpreting a mixture as originating from only one source). By means of combined behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures, our paradigm has the potential to measure stream segregation and integration at the same time, providing the opportunity to obtain positive evidence of either one. This reduces the reliance on zero findings (i.e., the occurrence of stream integration in a given condition can be demonstrated directly, rather than indirectly based on the absence of empirical evidence for stream segregation, and vice versa). With this two-way approach, we systematically manipulate attention devoted to the auditory stimuli (by varying their task relevance) and to their underlying structure (by delivering perceptual tasks that require segregated or integrated percepts). ERP results based on the mismatch negativity (MMN) show no evidence for a modulation of stream integration by attention, while stream segregation results were less clear due to overlapping attention-related components in the MMN latency range. We suggest future studies combining the proposed two-way approach with some improvements in the ERP measurement of sequential stream segregation.     

Development of a school-based treatment program for middle school youth with ADHD

The authors conduct an evaluation of a middle school-based treatment program for youth with ADHD during early stages of treatment development. The studies focus on interpreting outcome trends in preliminary data and identifying assessment issues that will be important to consider when conducting a clinical trial. Parent reports indicate that the majority of students benefit from improvements in academic, social, and overall functioning. Although teachers report beneficial effects for the majority of the participants in the program, there is little agreement about individual students. Measurement problems are associated with understanding normal change during a school year, accounting for normal behavior changes in December and May, and considerable disagreement between teachers. Suggestions to guide future work in this area are provided.     

问题解决策略的元认知研究

本研究旨在了解大学生对问题解决策略的理解。通过测试57名大学生对五种问题解决策略(自由产生、类推、逐步分析、形象化重构和整合)在三种情景(人际交往、实际生活和学习过程)三个维度(经常使用、有效性、易于使用)下的评估,发现大学生使用类推策略最多,自由产生策略最少。他们普遍认为这五种策略最适宜于用在学习情景中,在人际交往中的用处不大。这种结果在性别上没有显著性差异。另外．大学生认为几乎每一种策略都需要综合、分析、判断和推理四种思维能力,其中自由产生策略需要用到更多的能力,包括创造能力。     

Outcome of psychodynamic child psychotherapy in routine practice

The aim of the present naturalistic study was to explore the effectiveness of psychodynamic child psychotherapy in routine practice. The sample comprised 207 psychotherapies with children 4–12?years of age with a broad range of mental health problems. Data on two measures, children’s global assessment scale (CGAS) and strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), were collected pre-post therapy. Within-group changes were analysed using repeated measures mixed-models ANOVA. Individual changes were examined by means of clinical significance. The analyses revealed improvement in general functioning, decrease in problem severity and problem impact on the child’s everyday life, as well as an increase in prosocial behaviour. For CGAS, an interaction effect was discovered suggesting a larger improvement for younger children (4–6?years) than for older children (10–12?years). After therapy, 38% (n 76) achieved clinically significant improvement. Time-limited psychotherapy proved favourable for children assigned to that particular treatment modality. The study generated similar results as previous well-controlled trials, revealing statistically significant results in a large sample and in spite the use of non-specific outcome measures. The study provides everyday evidence to the effectiveness of child psychodynamic treatment with parallel parental work for a broad range of child mental health problems.     

Helping Students Understand Challenging Topics in Science Through Ontology Training

Chi (2005) proposed that students experience difficulty in learning about physics concepts such as light, heat, or electric current because they attribute to these concepts an inappropriate ontological status of material substances rather than the more veridical status of emergent processes. Conceptual change could thus be facilitated by training students in the appropriate ontology prior to physics instruction. We tested this prediction by developing a computer-based module whereby participants learned about emergent processes. Control participants completed a computer-based task that was uninformative with respect to ontology. Both groups then studied a physics text concerned with electricity, including explanations and a posttest. Verbal explanations and qualitative problem solutions revealed that experimental students gained a deeper understanding of electric current.     

Effects of Personal Epistemology on the Understanding of Multiple Texts

We examined whether the text understanding of students holding naïve and sophisticated epistemological beliefs was differentially affected by text format, also controlling for effects of gender, word decoding, and prior knowledge on understanding. The participants were 39 Norwegian first-year teacher students, and the topic of reading was attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It was found that only readers holding sophisticated epistemological beliefs displayed adequate understanding when reading multiple, partly conflicting, texts about ADHD, whereas students holding naïve epistemological beliefs gained better understanding when reading a single textbook-like source with identical content. This finding, however, depended on the level of understanding being measured by the criterial task, with only the task measuring deeper situational text understanding showing an interaction between epistemological beliefs and text format. This study provides evidence that not only knowledge itself, but also personal beliefs about knowledge, may enhance or constrain deeper understanding of multiple texts.     

Who Benefits from Diagrams and Illustrations in Math Problems? Ability and Attitudes Matter

How do diagrams and illustrations affect mathematical problem solving? Past research suggests that diagrams should promote correct performance. However, illustrations may provide a supportive context for problem solving, or they may distract students with seductive details. Moreover, effects may not be uniform across student subgroups. This study assessed the effects of diagrams and illustrations on undergraduates' trigonometry problem solving. We used a 2 (Diagram Presence) × 2 (Illustration Presence) within‐subjects design, and our analysis considered students' mathematics ability and attitudes towards mathematics. Participants solved problems more accurately when they included diagrams. This effect was stronger for students who had more positive mathematics attitudes, especially when there was an illustration present. Illustrations were beneficial for students with high mathematics ability but detrimental for students with lower ability. Considering individual differences in ability and attitude is essential for understanding the effects of different types of visual representations on problem solving. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.