The effectiveness of dynamic graphics in revealing structure in multivariate data

Previous work by the authors showed no significant benefit for dynamic graphical presentation as opposed to static scatterplots in determining the number of data clusters present in multidimensional data sets. In the present study, subjects interactively looked for different types of structure, such as linear trends, clusters, or increases in variance of one variable, rather than discriminating number of clusters, to more closely mimic actual exploratory data-analysis features of interest. Searching for structure failed to prove significant benefits for dynamic data presentation.     

A review of scientific visualization software for the Macintosh computer

Many programs are available for the Macintosh that provide advanced visualization tools. Some of the tools are individual applications, and some are part of mathematical packages. This paper reviews the capabilities, functionality, and ease of use of visualization tools within six software packages: Mathematica, Spyglass Transform/View, Spyglass Dicer, JMP, MacSpin, and SYSTAT.     

The development of letter processing efficiency

The development of efficiency in letter processing skills was studied using a letter search task. In two experiments, subjects searched for a target letter displayed with items varying in their visual featural or conceptual categorical similarity to the target. Accuracy and reaction time of search were evaluated for evidence of the visual search “category effect.” In order to determine if subjects could efficiently use knowledge of stimulus differences to facilitate search, conditions tested search time as a function of the amount of information to be processed both within the visual display and in short-term memory. In the two experiments, subjects of ages 6 years through adulthood showed the category effect; however, efficiency of letter processing was found to be related to the amount of information that had to be processed in memory. While there were drastic changes in search speed with increasing grade level, patterns of processing were consistent, leading to the conclusion that the knowledge required to process the letter information accurately is acquired very early. Results were discussed in terms of the distinctions among accuracy, automaticity, and efficiency of skill development and the relationship of these to general reading and intellectual development.     

Preschoolers' inferences about gender and emotion: The mediation of emotionality stereotypes

This study examined childrens' stereotypes about sex differences in emotionality. Thirty preschoolers were presented with hypothetical emotional situations and asked to indicate the gender of the expressor and reasons for their choice. Although fear was consistently associated with females, gender attribution was situation specific for anger and happiness. Examination of preschoolers' explanations for gender attributions revealed that females made greater use of sex-role and imagery categories than did males. Furthermore, a significant age difference in the use of categorical and noncategorical responses was reported, with younger children making a greater number of noncategorical explanations. Children who used imagery to mediate gender choice relied primarily on hair color and length as gender-specific cues.     

If Anything Can Go Wrong It Will: Occupational Stress Among Inexperienced Teachers

The study examined the sources of stress encountered by inexperienced compared to experienced teachers. Sixty-nine female teachers in elementary schools and kindergartens in Israel participated in the study. A questionnaire was administered measuring job-related stress factors, emotional involvement in the job and active coping with stress factors. The results show that inexperienced compared to experienced teachers stated that they experience an overall higher level of stress. The major sources of stress for inexperienced teachers are interaction with pupils' parents and workload. Inexperienced teachers are less involved emotionally in their work, especially in regard to incidents of unsatisfactory performance. However, they are similar to experienced teachers in both their emotional reactions to successful performance and in their actions in stressful situations. Since the research design was quasi-experimental, the differences between experienced and inexperienced teachers might be due to other confounded factors such as general life experience. The results are discussed in regard to the adaptive functions of selective emotional involvement.     

Response conformity in recognition testing

In a recognition memory test for a just-studied word list, subjects responded positively or negatively to each test word in the presence of another subject, with the two taking turns to call out their responses. Responses given second tended to conform to those given first. This was so for responses to both targets and lures and following both positive and negative first responses, although the effect was sharply reduced for targets given a negative first response. The same pattern of results was obtained in a second experiment, in which an incognito confederate replaced one of the subjects and so brought one set of responses under full experimenter control. These experiments illustrate a powerful effect of social pressure on recognition responses.     

Culturally competent assessment practice in the United States

Assessment practice with multicultural populations in the United States requires cultural competence. Culturally competent assessment includes culture-specific styles of service delivery, use of the client's first language, and an evaluation of the client as a cultural being prior to test administration using cultural orientation categories. This information is essential for understanding health/illness beliefs, to indicate the possible presence of culture-specific symptoms, and to select standard or culture-specific tests. Assessment ethics recognize the desirability of alteration or modification of standard tests by translation and development of new norms. Cross-cultural construct validity, response sets, and cultural variables are also research priorities. Culture-specific tests should be constructed and validated for some clients as determined by cultural orientation status. Feedback of test findings to clients and significant others should be consistent with cultural expectations. Professional and societal benefits of cultural competence in assessment are suggested.     

Tables of d’ for detection and localization

A detection and localization (DAL) procedure (Hershman and Lichtenstein, 1967) is one in which at most one of k noisy observation intervals contains a signal. The observer must detect the signal (if present) and locate it in the proper interval. Tables are given for the extraction of d’ values from the percentage of correct responses made in such experiments.     

Water - 2nd Place

Journal of Medical Humanities -