A square root method of selecting a minimum set of variables in multiple regression: II. A worked example

Thesquare root method of selection has been explained in a previous article. In the present article a worked example is given which illustrates the compactness of the procedure. The square root method is compared with the Wherry-Doolittle method.     

A square root method of selecting a minimum set of variables in multiple regression: I. The method

An extension of Dwyer's “square root” method has been made to the problem of selecting a minimum set of variables in a multiple regression problem. The square root method of selection differs from the Wherry-Doolittle method primarily in that (1) the computations required are more compact, (2) anF ratio criterion is used which leads to the selection of fewer variables. The method provides solutions for the problems of test selection, item analysis, analysis of variance with disproportionate frequencies, and other problems requiring the rejection of superfluous variables. In a subsequent article a worked example will be given, and the square root and Wherry-Doolittle methods compared.     

A theory of pattern analysis for the prediction of a quantitative criterion

A method of pattern analysis is presented for the case of dichotomous items and a quantitative criterion. This “configural scale” has maximum validity in the least squares sense. A technique for computing the configural scale as a polynomial function of the item scores is given. Tests of significance are outlined for such questions as: Is there a linear or non-linear relation between the quantitative criterion and the item scores? Does the addition of certain items to the test increase the validity of the configural scale? Are all the items in the configural scale fully effective?     

Is human decision making under ambiguity guided by loss frequency regardless of the costs? A developmental study using the Soochow Gambling Task

Converging developmental decision-making studies have demonstrated that until late adolescence, individuals prefer options for which the risk of a loss is low regardless of the final outcome. Recent works have shown a similar inability to consider both loss frequency and final outcome among adults. The current study aimed to identify developmental changes in feedback-monitoring ability to consider both loss frequency and final outcome in decision making under ambiguity. Children, adolescents, and adults performed an adapted version of the Soochow Gambling Task. Our results showed that children and adolescents presented an exclusive preference for options associated with infrequent punishment. In contrast, only adults seemed to consider both loss frequency and the final outcome by favoring the advantageous options when the frequency of losses was low. These findings suggest that the ability to integrate both loss frequency and final outcome develops with age. Moreover, the analysis of strategic adjustments following gains and losses reveals that adults switch less often after losses compared with children and adolescents. This finding suggests that psychological tolerance to loss may facilitate learning the characteristics of each option and improve the ability to choose advantageously.     

Psychosocial,ecological, and community perspectives on disaster response

Abstract

Psychological intervention has grown in little more than a decade from an occasional afterthought in disaster response systems to a thriving enterprise; with that growth, however, have come features that sometimes resemble cottage industries, social movements, or, in extreme cases, evangelical cults. The social history of this evolution is reviewed from the perspective of participant observers, and the issues and implications of recent research are considered in the context of integrated models of theory, research, and application.