THE SPLIT LEVEL PROBLEM AS RELATED TO THE TASK OF EVALUATING ITEMS IN THE CLINICAL AREA

H olley , J. W. & H ansson , K. The split level problem as related to the task of evaluating items in the clinical area. Scand.J. Psychol ., 1969, 10, 124–128—It is pointed out that correlational values can be distorted in item evaluation when the proportions of persons in the criterion groups are variant. The use of a 'K ratio' is suggested as a possible solution to be applied under restrictive conditions.     

THE APPLICATION OF THE HARRIS BRIDGE IN THE GENERALIZATION OF THE BURT RECIPROCITY PRINCIPLE-A DEMONSTRATION STUDY

The reciprocity principle, formulated by Burt, has related the Q and R factor systems when double-centered score matrices are used. Subsequently, Burt's bridge was first generalized by Sandler for single-centered matrices, but was applicable only under restricted conditions. The present paper describes a final generalization, a transition based on correlations rather than G indices, providing for the conversion of rotated Q factors to equivalent R factors. An illustrative example is given, using hypothetical data.     

NOTE OF CAUTION IN THE USE OF CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS IN FACTORIAL STUDIES IN THE CLINICAL DOMAIN

Extreme caution must be observed when correlation coefficients are used in factorial studies in the clinical area. Distortional effects resulting from differences between the levels of test performance are demonstrated on both a correlational and factorial level. Further research to obtain a more suitable statistical index than the correlation coefficient for clinical research is recommended.     

NOTE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TESTS OF Q FACTOR ISOLATES IN THE PREDICTION OF CLINICAL CLASSES

The present paper describes two related methods of evaluating items for purposes of test construction intended to yield measures of Q -factor isolates. The principle procedure is based on the use of correlations between the items and the Q -factor loadings. Empirical studies are cited demonstrating the internal consistency and factorial stability of the constructed tests. Evidence of 'qualitative similarity' between the tests and their Q -factor equivalents is also provided.     

Towards understanding the effects of interviewer training in evaluating the cognitive interview

The effectiveness of the cognitive interview (CI) technique has been demonstrated in experimental studies of eyewitness memory conducted in the USA, Germany, and the UK. Much of the research, however, has used college students as interviewers rather than professionals who regularly interview witnesses (e.g. police officers). The aim of this research was to examine the effects of such CI training using experienced police officers with established interviewing styles. An armed robbery was staged and information was elicited in witness interviews. The CI did not significantly increase correct recall but tended to produce more suppositions and errors. A qualitative analysis of interviewer behaviour showed that many officers had difficulty in applying the new cognitive techniques and in avoiding the use of closed and leading questions. The paper addresses two issues: first, that of training experienced police officers who have received relatively little prior training in investigative interviewing, and second, the extent to which we can generalize from the laboratory data elicited in previous studies of CI.     

Odor discrimination and recognition memory as a

The role of olfactory familiarization in short-term recognition of odors was investigated. Subjects were asked to make qualitative similarity judgments regarding either identical or dissimilar odors delivered in pairs. Except for control groups, subjects got familiarized with either the first (target) or the second (distractor) or both odors from a pair. Groups also differed according to the number of familiarization sessions—one, two, or three—taking place prior to the discrimination judgments. There was no significant influence of familiarization on correct recognition scores for pairs of identical odors. The most salient finding was a marked decrease of false alarms as a function of the number of familiarization sessions, which evidenced a positive effect of familiarization on discrimination for pairs of dissimilar odors. These judgments were not dependent on an intensity criterion. False alarms did not vary according to whether subjects had been familiarized with the target or the distractor or both odors from a pair. A positive correlation found between discrimination performances and the number of odors correctly remembered as being presented during familiarization suggested that familiarization resulted in long-term storing of memory traces for familiarized odors. Since familiarization was effective despite conditions unfavorable to the use of semantic encoding, the results argue in favor of a predominantly perceptual encoding of odors in the investigated task.     

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN THE ANALYSIS OF DATA:

Abstract— We asked active psychological researchers to answer a survey regarding the following data-analytic issues: (a) the effect of reliability on Type I and Type II errors, (b) the interpretation of interaction, (c) contrast analysis, and (d) the role of power and effect size in successful replications. Our 551 participants (a 60% response rate) answered 59% of the questions correctly; 46% accuracy would be expected according to participants' response preferences alone. Accuracy was higher for respondents with higher academic ranks and for questions with "no" as the right answer. It is suggested that although experienced researchers are able to answer difficult but basic data-analytic questions at better than chance levels, there is also a high degree of misunderstanding of some fundamental issues of data analysis.     

Role of verbal encoding in shortand long-term odor recognition

The role of verbal encoding in odor recognition memory was investigated using odors of low familiarity to subjects before the experiment began. The experimental procedure included two phases—odor learning (first phase) and odor memory testing (second phase)—separated by a delay of 7 days. Five experimental conditions were established: three conditions of odor learning with names (labeling conditions), one condition of odor learning without names (sensory familiarization), and one condition of no learning prior to testing (control conditions). The labeling conditions differed from each other regarding label characteristics. The names were those of odor sources (veridical names), those personally generated by subjects (generated names), or those derived from the chemical names of the odorants (chemical names). Subjects were required to learn 20 fixed associations between odors (targets or distractors) and 20 names during two daily sessions. The learning sessions included two identification tests and ended by a verbal memory test in which subjects recalled odor names. The odor memory test was split into two parts separated by a retention interval of either 20 min (short-term memory) or 24 h (long-term memory). Data showed that olfactory recognition memory was enhanced in subjects who associated veridical or generated names to odors during the learning session. Chemical names were not appropriate to facilitate odor recognition. Similarly, the level of odor identification was higher for veridical and generated names than for chemical names, though the level of verbal memory for chemical names was substantial. Recognition response latencies were systematically longer for a target odor implying a positive response than for a distractor odor implying a negative response. Together, these data suggest that odor recognition and identification are sensitive to the semantic content of labels associated with odors. Odor memory was adversively influenced by time, but this influence was less pronounced when the names were endowed with a rich semantic content.     

A NOTE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Q AND R FACTORS

The relationship between Q and R factor loadings is presented, using the Guilford index of G. The transition is offered as a rationale for the use of the two factor methods in a coordinated manner. An illustrative example is presented, using hypothetical data. Finally a suggested application of the coordinated use of the two systems in the clinical area, properly justified by the rationale of the present paper, is offered.     

PHILIP LEVY AND THE G INDEX — A FINAL REPLY

Levy's argument using double extended matrices is shown to be without basis. Such a technique, it is pointed out, cannot properly be used in R technique to eliminate factors of means since it represents the double scoring of items—not persons, as would be required in his illustration.