A note on residual M-distances for identifying aberrant response patterns

Although a statistical model might fit well to a large proportion of the individuals of a random sample, some individuals might give ‘unusual’ responses that are not well explained by the hypothesized model. If individual responses are given as continuous response vectors, M-distances can be used to produce real valued indicators of how well an individual's response vector corresponds to a covariance structure implied by a psychometric model. In this note, we focus on the so-called one-factor model. Two M-distances, d_si and d_ri, which are sensitive to different aspects of the assumed factor model, have been proposed. While one of the M-distances, d_ri, has been derived based on Bartlett factor scores, in this note we show that the second M-distance, d_si, can be derived in an analogous fashion based on Thomson factor scores.     

Least-squares approximation of an improper correlation matrix by a proper one

An algorithm is presented for the best least-squares fitting correlation matrix approximating a given missing value or improper correlation matrix. The proposed algorithm is based upon a solution for Mosier's oblique Procrustes rotation problem offered by ten Berge and Nevels. A necessary and sufficient condition is given for a solution to yield the unique global minimum of the least-squares function. Empirical verification of the condition indicates that the occurrence of non-optimal solutions with the proposed algorithm is very unlikely. A possible drawback of the optimal solution is that it is a singular matrix of necessity. In cases where singularity is undesirable, one may impose the additional nonsingularity constraint that the smallest eigenvalue of the solution be , where is an arbitrary small positive constant. Finally, it may be desirable to weight the squared errors of estimation differentially. A generalized solution is derived which satisfies the additional nonsingularity constraint and also allows for weighting. The generalized solution can readily be obtained from the standard unweighted singular solution by transforming the observed improper correlation matrix in a suitable way.     

Detection of words versus good old counting: A note on Mizrahi and Dickinson, “The analytic-continental divide in philosophical practice”

In a recent Metaphilosophy article, Moti Mizrahi and Michael Dickinson argue against characterizing the divide between analytical and continental philosophy as a divide in the use of arguments. This hypothesis is rejected on the basis of a text-mining approach. The present paper argues that the results they extracted do not answer the questions they set out to answer as well as would have been possible. This is due to Mizrahi and Dickinson's choice to disregard duplicate occurrences of argument word pairs, their main indicator for the occurrence of arguments in articles. This paper reconstructs their method by now also counting duplicates. A small corpus (n = 436) of recent (2015–2021) analytical and continental articles is used to rerun the experiment; the results oppose Mizrahi and Dickinson's and suggest that arguments (as operationalized by Mizrahi and Dickinson) occur more in analytical articles. The paper argues that part of the discrepancy derives from the specific methodological choices they made.     

Ten principles of counselling: Grounded theory in a mixed methods research project

This grounded theory (GT) study is part of an extensive mixed methods research project to develop general principles for counselling. Nine hundred counselling protocols were examined. The material is characterised by a quantitative amount of data with a qualitative character. The research is based on the systemic-constructivist research paradigm. The variety of perspectives is an important aspect of the work. Therefore, it is important that the entire research process with GT takes place in exchange with other research settings in order to minimise the limitations caused by the perspective of the researchers. During the research process, there was an intensive examination of GT in order to adapt it to the research project. By using the GT to analyse the extensive qualitative material, the actions of the counsellors were observed and 10 counselling principles were developed. This article presents the research process and the findings.     

Connectionist representation,semantic compositionality,and the instability of concept structure

Summary In the present paper connectionist approaches to the problem of internal representation and the nature of concepts are discussed. In the first part the concept of representation that underlies connectionist modeling is made explicit. It is argued that the connectionist view of representation relies on a correlational theory of semantic content- i.e., the covariation between internal and external states is taken as the basis for ascribing meaning to internal states. The problems and virtues of such a correlational approach to internal representation are addressed. The second part of the paper is concerned with whether connectionism is capable of accounting for the apparent productivity and systematicity of language and thought. There is an evaluation of the recent arguments of Fodor and Pylyshyn, who claim that systematicity can only be explained if one conceives of mental representations as structured symbols composed of context-free constituents. There is a review of empirical evidence that strongly suggests that concepts are not fixed memory structures and that the meaning of constituent symbols varies, depending on the context in which they are embedded. On the basis of this review it is concluded that the meaning of a complex expression is not computed from the context-free meanings of the constituents, and that strong compositionality, as endorsed by Fodor and Pylyshyn (1988), seems implausible as a process theory for the comprehension of complex concepts. Instead, the hypothesis is endorsed that constraint satisfaction in distributed connectionist networks may allow for an alternative account of weak compositionality compatible with the context sensitivity of meaning. In the final section, it is argued that neither mere implementation of a language of thought in connectionist networks nor radical elimination of symbol systems seems to be a fruitful research strategy, but that it might be more useful to discuss how connectionist systems can develop the capacity to use external symbol systems like language or logic without instantiating symbol systems themselves.     

Application of the Bower and Trabasso theory to four-category concept learning with probabilistic feedback

Four-category conjunctive concept problems were learned under nine different conditions with the number of irrelevant dimensions and the percentage of correct feedback as independent variables. Concept identification performance could be adequately predicted by assuming that the two relevant dimensions defining the conjunctive problems were learned concurrently and independently. A generalized version of the Bower-Trabasso theory of concept identification, encompassing a distinct response learning phase, was applied to the data. The theory adequately described performance under conditions with consistently correct feedback. Several alternative models for learning under misinformative feedback conditions were developed from the theory. Using parameter estimates from data under correct feedback conditions, these models were found to predict performance under misinformative feedback fairly well.     

Retrospective questions and correlations

In survey research it is not uncommon to ask questions of the following type: “How many times did you undertake actiona in reference periodT of length τ?.” The relationship is established between τ and the correlation of the number of reported actions with some background variable. To this end it is assumed that the process of actions satisfies a renewal model with individual heterogeneity. Also a model has to be formulated for possible recall effects. Applications are given in the field of medical consumption.     

Shorter articles and notes left-right differences in auditory perception of verbal and non-verbal material by children

One hundred and twenty children, 60 boys and 60 girls, varying in age between 6 and 12 years were presented with a series of digits and Morse-like sound patterns to earch ear separately. As predicted, sound patterns were found to better retained when presented to the left ear than when presented to the right ear. Series of digits however were not retained better via the right ear than via the left ear. The dominance of the left ear for non-verbal material decreases with increasing age. For verbal material a quadratic relation between the dominance of the right ear and age was established.