Semi-automated Rasch analysis using in-plus-out-of-questionnaire log likelihood

Rasch analysis is a popular statistical tool for developing and validating instruments that aim to measure human performance, attitudes and perceptions. Despite the availability of various software packages, constructing a good instrument based on Rasch analysis is still considered to be a complex, labour-intensive task, requiring human expertise and rather subjective judgements along the way. In this paper we propose a semi-automated method for Rasch analysis based on first principles that reduces the need for human input. To this end, we introduce a novel criterion, called in-plus-out-of-questionnaire log likelihood (IPOQ-LL). On artificial data sets, we confirm that optimization of IPOQ-LL leads to the desired behaviour in the case of multi-dimensional and inhomogeneous surveys. On three publicly available real-world data sets, our method leads to instruments that are, for all practical purposes, indistinguishable from those obtained by Rasch analysis experts through a manual procedure.     

The processing of interlexical homographs in translation recognition and lexical decision: Support for non-selective access to bilingual memory

In three experiments we looked at the processing of interlexical homographs by Dutch-English bilinguals. In Experiment 1 we employed the translation recognition task, a task that forces the participants to activate both language systems simultaneously. In this task the processing of interlexical homographs was inhibited substantially compared to the processing of matched control words, especially when the homograph reading to be selected was the less frequent of the homograph's two readings. In Experiments 2 and 3 we used the lexical decision task: In one condition we asked the participants to categorize letter strings as words or nonwords in Dutch; in a second condition we asked them to do so in English. The makeup of the stimulus set in Experiment 2 permitted the participants to ignore the instructions and to instantiate the task in a language-neutral form-that is, to categorize the letter strings as words in either Dutch or English. Under these circumstances a small, frequency-dependent inhibitory effect for homographs was obtained, but only in condition Dutch. In Experiment 3 the participants were forced in a language-specific processing mode by the inclusion of "nonwords" that were in fact words in the non-target language. Large frequency-dependent inhibitory effects for homographs were now obtained in both language conditions. The combined results are interpreted as support for the view that bilingual lexical access is non-selective.     

A revaluation of the adaptiveness of avoidant and vigilant coping with surgery

Abstract

It has been assumed that an avoidant coping style is less adaptive in patients coping with surgery than a vigilant coping style. Empirical evidence, however, has indicated the contrary. This article, therefore, revaluated the adaptiveness of these coping styles. A review of the literature yielded three conditions of the situation that determine the adaptiveness of coping: controllability of the situation, time-reference and interpretational set. Problem-focused coping, vigilance, active coping and monitoring seem to be more adaptive in controllable situations; emotion-focused coping, avoidance, blunting and passive coping more adaptive when little control is possible. For short-term adaptation, avoidance seems the more adaptive strategy, whereas in the long run vigilance is a better strategy. Regarding interpretational set, avoidance seems more adaptive when patients have to cope with the emotional value of the event; vigilance seems more adaptive when coping with sensory elements of the event. Implications of the situational conditions for the adaptiveness of coping with surgical stress and consequences for future research are discussed.     

How social context moderates the self-evaluative emotions experienced due to health risk behaviour

When people are confronted with the potential negative physical outcomes of their own health risk behaviour, they experience a self-threat. This threat is felt as negative self-evaluative emotions. We hypothesise that the threat will lead to more private self-evaluative emotions (e.g. regret) in a private social context, whereas more public self-evaluative emotions (e.g. embarrassment) will be felt in a public social context with negative norms. Consistent with our hypotheses, we show that participants anticipate feeling more private self-evaluative emotions when confronted with the negative consequences of their unhealthy behaviour when alone, and more public self-evaluative emotions when in a group (Study 1). They further anticipate more public self-evaluative emotions in response to a health self-threat when the group norm is negative, and more private self-evaluative emotions when the group norm is lenient (Study 2). Finally, in a cross-sectional study amongst smokers, we show that private but not public negative self-evaluative emotions concerning their own smoking habits are positively correlated with the intent to quit smoking (Study 3). These studies show that a distinction needs to be made between public and private self-evaluative emotions, in terms of their antecedents and effects. Theoretical implications and further lines of research are discussed.     

Numerical-spatial representation affects spatial coding: binding errors across the numerical distance effect

Does numerical-spatial representation affect feature binding? Studies of visual attention show that poor spatial coding leads to illusory conjunctions (ICs). In numerical cognition, it has been shown that numbers and space are not totally dissociated. This association underlies the numerical distance effect (DE): faster responses as the distance between the compared digits becomes larger (2 7 vs. 2 4). We used the DE to test whether numerical-spatial representation is available to visual processes that rely on spatial coding, such as feature binding. Participants reported the larger of two colored numbers. Both numerical distance (distances 2 and 5) and number–space congruity (e.g., congruent pair, 1 3; incongruent pair, 3 1) were analyzed. Results showed a higher proportion of ICs for distance 2 than for distance 5, providing strong evidence that numerical-spatial representation (1) entails a strong location code and (2) is available to visual processes that rely on location information.     

Detection of simulated hypnotic amnesia

Highly hypnotizable nonsimulators and high- and low-hypnotizable simulators of hypnosis were administered a hypnotic amnesia suggestion and tested for recall and recognition of a previously learned word list. Simulators exhibited higher levels of recall and recognition amnesia than nonsimulators. Most important, simulators recognized "forgotten" words at lower levels than expected by chance significantly more often than did nonsimulators. Implications for the detection of simulated amnesia in clinical samples are discussed.     

De crisis (?) van het Causaliteitsbeginsel

Ohne Zusammenfassung