Joint Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Diagnostic Classification Models

Joint maximum likelihood estimation (JMLE) is developed for diagnostic classification models (DCMs). JMLE has been barely used in Psychometrics because JMLE parameter estimators typically lack statistical consistency. The JMLE procedure presented here resolves the consistency issue by incorporating an external, statistically consistent estimator of examinees’ proficiency class membership into the joint likelihood function, which subsequently allows for the construction of item parameter estimators that also have the consistency property. Consistency of the JMLE parameter estimators is established within the framework of general DCMs: The JMLE parameter estimators are derived for the Loglinear Cognitive Diagnosis Model (LCDM). Two consistency theorems are proven for the LCDM. Using the framework of general DCMs makes the results and proofs also applicable to DCMs that can be expressed as submodels of the LCDM. Simulation studies are reported for evaluating the performance of JMLE when used with tests of varying length and different numbers of attributes. As a practical application, JMLE is also used with “real world” educational data collected with a language proficiency test.     

Consistency Theory for the General Nonparametric Classification Method

Psychometrika - Parametric likelihood estimation is the prevailing method for fitting cognitive diagnosis models—also called diagnostic classification models (DCMs). Nonparametric concepts...     

Why American conservatives and individuals from traditionalist cultures may share a preference for group uniformity

American culture is known for its emphasis on freedom‐promoting values such as self‐determination and autonomy. Yet, a large segment of American society endorses a conservative ideology that seems to go against these values. In this article, we empirically show that conservatives’ weaker endorsement of autonomy values predicts a preference to be an amorphous entity in a tight, uniform group (Study 1A). We do so by implementing a novel measure of sociocultural tightness that is not based on self‐report items. We subsequently show that cultural (East–West) differences in this preference can be explained through a similar mechanism (Study 1B). Hence, we show that some cognitive processes of American conservatives are similar to those of individuals coming from more collectivist, non‐Western societies.     

On the Consistency of Q-Matrix Estimation: A Rejoinder

This rejoinder responds to the commentary by Liu (Psychometrika, 2015) entitled “On the consistency of Q-matrix estimation: A commentary” on the paper “A general method of empirical Q-matrix validation” by de la Torre and Chiu (Psychometrika, 2015). It discusses and addresses three concerns raised in the commentary, namely the estimation accuracy when a provisional Q-matrix is used, the consistency of the Q-matrix estimator, and the computational efficiency of the proposed method.     

Video game addiction in children and teenagers in Taiwan.

Video game addiction in children and teenagers in Taiwan is associated with levels of animosity, social skills, and academic achievement. This study suggests that video game addiction can be statistically predicted on measures of hostility, and a group with high video game addiction has more hostility than others. Both gender and video game addiction are negatively associated with academic achievement. Family function, sensation seeking, gender, and boredom have statistically positive relationships with levels of social skills. Current models of video game addiction do not seem to fit the findings of this study.     

数学应用题中语言成分模型的构建—— 多元随机效应项目反应理论模型的运用

数学应用题中的语言成分可能对被试问题解决过程产生复杂影响。通常, 这种影响对所有被试并非完全一致, 而是具体数学题目特征与特定被试的认知特性之间交互作用的结果。本研究采用多元随机效应项目反应理论模型的建模方法, 分析了数学应用题中语言成分对问题解决过程的影响。该方法的优势在于它不仅分析了语言成分对数学问题解决过程的平均效应, 同时给出了相应的随机效应, 揭示了相应成分对不同个体问题解决过程的具体影响程度。结果表明, 较难的项目倾向于单词更多, 命题密度更高, 要求对图/表信息进行编码和转译, 或者根据问题表述生成数学公式。项目命题密度影响效应存在着显著的个别差异。项目命题密度对能力较低的被试的影响高于对能力较高的被试的影响。     

Multicultural experience enhances creativity: the when and how

Many practices aimed at cultivating multicultural competence in educational and organizational settings (e.g., exchange programs, diversity education in college, diversity management at work) assume that multicultural experience fosters creativity. In line with this assumption, the research reported in this article is the first to empirically demonstrate that exposure to multiple cultures in and of itself can enhance creativity. Overall, the authors found that extensiveness of multicultural experiences was positively related to both creative performance (insight learning, remote association, and idea generation) and creativity-supporting cognitive processes (retrieval of unconventional knowledge, recruitment of ideas from unfamiliar cultures for creative idea expansion). Furthermore, their studies showed that the serendipitous creative benefits resulting from multicultural experiences may depend on the extent to which individuals open themselves to foreign cultures, and that creativity is facilitated in contexts that deemphasize the need for firm answers or existential concerns. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for promoting creativity in increasingly global learning and work environments.     

An Integrative Model Linking Supervisor Support and Organizational Citizenship Behavior

This study extends previous research by proposing an integrative model that examines the mediating processes underlying the relationship between leader support and employee OCB. Data were collected from 323 employees and their immediate supervisors in seven Taiwanese companies. Results showed that supervisor support influenced the employees’ OCB indirectly through two cognitive processes (job satisfaction and person–organization fit) and one affective process(job tension).