The given-new structure of cleft sentences and their influence on picture viewing

Summary In three experiments the influence of the given-new structure of cleft sentences on picture viewing was examined. Subjects heard cleft sentences and subsequently inspected pictures depicting the agent and the patient of the action mentioned in the sentence. Each sentence-picture pair was preceded by an adequate context sentence and a context picture. It was demonstrated that the delineation of the agent or of the patient in the sentence was looked at longer when it was marked as new information in the sentence that described the picture than when it was marked as old information. We interpret these findings to mean that the new information of a cleft sentence sets up a focus of attention in the cognitive structure and that this prolongs the time spent in the inspection of a delineation of the focal concept.     

Analyzing proximity matrices: The assessment of internal variation in combinatorial structure

A data analysis strategy is discussed for evaluating the degree to which a subset D of a larger object set S satisfies a particular algebraic property. Based on a set measure f(D) and a proximity function on S × S, two separate evaluation tasks, referred to as confirmatory and exploratory, are considered. In a confirmatory task the subset D is identified a priori and f(D) is compared against the distribution of f(·) over all subsets containing the same number of objects. The exploratory task, on the other hand, treats f(·) as an objective function to be optimized over all subsets of a given size. Examples of these two notions include the assessment of symmetry, cluster compactness, and the extent to which D satisfies the error-free conditions for a hierarchical model or a unidimensional scale.     

An approach to the problem of differential prediction

A procedure for maximizing selective efficiency is developed for application to situations in which it is desired to select from a single group of applicants for several possible assignments. The problem of comparable units for the several criteria whose values must be compared to each other for differential assignment purposes is discussed. It is demonstrated that, assuming linear regressions, maximal selection is obtained if individuals in any given assignment are differentiated from those rejected according to critical rejection scores on the multiple weighted sum of the predictors and from another possible assignment by critical difference scores which are merely the differences between the two critical rejection scores. Since the relationships just indicated give no way of determining the magnitude of the critical scores required to select the required number of persons for each assignment, a successive approximation procedure for accomplishing this purpose has been devised and a computational example is worked out.The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not to be construed as official or as those of the War Department.     

A new coefficient: Application to biserial correlation and to estimation of selective efficiency

A coefficient of selective efficiency is proposed which can be usefully applied to selection problems involving the evaluation of the validity of (1) dichotomous predictors and (2) continuous predictors at a particular or at successive points of cut. Previously the author has shown that the product-moment correlation can be interpreted as a direct index of selective efficiency if the distribution forms of the criterion and the predictor are similar and the regression of the criterion on the predictor is linear. The coefficient proposed in the present article may be employed to evaluate selective efficiency of a continuous predictor at particular points of cut even when these assumptions are not tenable or are not applicable. It also is demonstrated that the proposed coefficient of selective efficiency may—with somewhat simpler and more generally applicable assumptions than those required in deriving the conventional formula—be employed as a substitute for the biserial correlation coefficient.The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and are not to be interpreted as representing official Department of the Army policy.     

The expected variance of the sampling errors for a set of item-criterion correlations

An expression for the expected variance of the sampling errors for the validities of a set of correlated items that is computationally feasible when the number of items is large is developed. Since the item difficulties are assumed to be constant, the estimate must be applied to pools or sub-pools of items reasonably homogeneous with respect to difficulty.The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect official Department of the Army policy.     

A rationale for minimizing distortion in personality questionnaire keys

A rationale and a procedure for constructing questionnaire keys so as to minimize the effect of distortion or faking by the respondents is developed. This rationale is based on the supposition that suppressor items can be identified to reduce distortion in, and thus add to, the validity of questionnaire keys. The procedure is designed primarily for application to the construction of forced choice items.The results of an empirical test of the efficicacy of the forced choice pairing procedure developed as a consequence of this rationale are presented. A key based on forced choice pairs developed by this procedure gave a validity of .33; a second key based on forced choice pairs developed by more conventional procedures gave a validity of .23.The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not to be construed as reflecting official Department of the Army policy. The rationale presented herein was developed and used in an Army research program concerned with the selection of ROTC cadets. In substance, the content of this paper is contained in PRS Report 868,A rationale for minimizing distortion in personality questionnaire keys.     

Les habiletés et régulations motrices au cours de l'escalade et de la descente d'un escalier hélicoïdal chez des enfants de 17 à 27 mois

Nous rapportons dans cet article des données nouvelles sur les comportements d'escalade et de descente d'un escalier hélicoïdal par 12 enfants, dans un local spécialement aménagé. Âgés entre 17 et 21 mois au début de la recherche, ils ont été répartis en deux groupes: pour l'un, la première marche était triangulaire; pour l'autre, quadrangulaire. Les měmes enfants ont été étudiés entre 23 et 27 mois dans les měmes conditions et selon le měme protocole, mais avec une inversion de la configuration de la première marche. On observe que: (1) dès la classe d'âges de 17 à 21 mois, les enfants des deux groupes privilégient le pied droit pour attaquer la première marche, avec le plus souvent alternance des deux pieds sans diminution du pas et sans arrět; (2) la configuration de la première marche joue un rôle significatif dans la fréquence de choix du pied d'attaque en début d'escalade et en fin de descente; (3) les comportements en fin d'escalade et en début de descente apparaissent influencés par la configuration du sommet de l'escalier et par la configuration de la première marche d'escalade; (4) entre 23 et 27 mois, l'influence des facteurs de développement est particulièrement nette en début d'escalade et en fin de descente; (5) les comportements en fin d'escalade et en début de descente apparaissent influencés par une combinaison de facteurs de développement, de la configuration du sommet de l'escalier, des expériences individuelles au début de l'escalade et des expériences individuelles au cours de la première partie de l'étude.