Units of analysis and item statistics for environmental assessment scales

Choice of units of analysis is a critical problem in evaluating environmental assessment items. The “Ecological Fallacy” involves interpreting results based on ecological entities, such as environmental settings, as applying to individuals. A less familiar error, the “Individual Differences Fallacy,” involves interpreting results based on individuals as applying to settings. Although this second error has been ubiquitous, little is known about the empirical consequences of using different units of analysis in item analysis. This study examined this issue when the units were (1) individuals, (2) observed settings, or (3) “artificial” or random settings. Neither item validities based on individuals nor item validities based on settings yielded unequivocal results. However, a measure developed specifically for environmental research, the Split-Sample Correlation, appeared useful for identifying environmental items. Researchers constructing environmental assessment scales should select items with both high Split-Sample Correlations and high setting-level item validities.     

Hypermasculinity and academic goal-setting: an exploratory study

The relation between gender-role percepts and academic goal-setting was explored. An inventory examining the aspects of masculinity that would facilitate or inhibit academic goal-setting was developed based on a literature review of how masculinity relates to academic behaviors. A diverse sample of students (120 male, 147 female, 14 not indicating sex) was measured on three aspects of sex and academic goal-setting behavior. Factor analysis confirmed the content validity of masculine factors having facilitative (Mastery Competitiveness) and inhibitory (Antisocial Competitiveness) academic properties. Regression analyses indicated that sex-role orientations (Competitiveness and Hypermasculinity) significantly predicted academic goal-setting behaviors (R2 = .136). Finally, men scored higher than women on the subscales measuring Hypermasculinity and Antisocial or Competitiveness, while there were no sex differences on the Mastery Competitiveness subscale. The implications of these findings and suggestions for research are discussed.     

Inhibition of Intermediate-Term Memory Following Passive Avoidance Training in Neonate Chicks by a Presynaptic Cholinergic Blocker

The effects of a specific presynaptic cholinergic antagonist, toosendanin, on memory formation following a passive avoidance training experience in day-old chicks was investigated. Bilateral injection of toosendanin into the neostriatal/hyperstriatal region of the chick forebrain produced memory impairment in a dose-dependent manner. Retention deficits were apparent from 20 min following training in chicks treated with toosendanin, regardless of the injection time relative to training. Chicks that received injections of the drug at corresponding times prior to retention tests showed normal retention levels, suggesting that toosendanin has no effect on performance and memory retrieval. These results indicate an involvement of cholinergic transmission during an early stage of memory formation.     

Assessing the specific psychopathology of binge eating disorder patients: Interview or self-report?

Research addressing the assessment of binge eating and associated eating disorder psychopathology has steadily increased in recent years. Few studies have examined the relationship between the various assessment methods. This study compared an investigator-based interview, the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), with a self-report version of that interview, the EDE-Q. Fifty-two individuals (six men and 46 women) with binge eating disorder (BED) completed both instruments. Modest-to-good agreement and significant correlations (P < 0.0001) were found between the two methods on all four subscales assessing specific eating disorder psychopathology (i.e., Restraint, Eating Concern, Weight Concern, and Shape Concern subscales). However, higher levels of disturbance were consistently reported on the EDE-Q than the EDE interview. The two methods were not significantly or reliably related to one another when assessing binge eating. This may be due in part to the difficulty inherent in identifying binges in subjects with BED. Examination of individual item scores suggest that it might be possible to improve the performance of the EDE-Q by clarifying the definitions of certain complex features, although this should not be at the expense of compromising the practical utility of its self-report format.     

Note on a rank test of cronholm and revusky

A rank testR _n has been proposed by Cronholm and Revusky which in effect increases the number of observations per subject by the device of randomly assigning a subject to a treated group in each of a series of sub-experiments. In this note further results on the asymptotic normality of theR _n test are discussed both under the null hypothesisH ₀ of randomness and under a class of alternatives toH ₀. The limiting power of the test is also discussed.