Marginalized maximum a posteriori estimation for the four-parameter logistic model under a mixture modelling framework

The four-parameter logistic model (4PLM) has recently attracted much interest in various applications. Motivated by recent studies that re-express the four-parameter model as a mixture model with two levels of latent variables, this paper develops a new expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm for marginalized maximum a posteriori estimation of the 4PLM parameters. The mixture modelling framework of the 4PLM not only makes the proposed EM algorithm easier to implement in practice, but also provides a natural connection with popular cognitive diagnosis models. Simulation studies were conducted to show the good performance of the proposed estimation method and to investigate the impact of the additional upper asymptote parameter on the estimation of other parameters. Moreover, a real data set was analysed using the 4PLM to show its improved performance over the three-parameter logistic model.     

Do African American Male and Female Adolescents Differ in Technological Engagement?: The Effects of Parental Encouragement and Adolescent Technological Confidence

African Americans, especially African American women, remain one of the most underrepresented groups in technology-based degrees and careers. However, little is known about whether gender differences permeate African American adolescents’ engagement in technology in earlier development, such as in middle and high school (ages 12–18). Drawing on an ecological and intersectional framework, we examined if African American male and female adolescents differed in technological engagement and what contextual factors affected their engagement. We hypothesized that parental encouragement would be associated with greater technological confidence in adolescents, which would be linked to more experiences with and interests in technology. Further, we investigated if these associations would vary by adolescents’ and parents’ gender. Survey data from 1041 African American parent-adolescent dyads highlighted that adolescents had less experience and interest with technical activities than with creative activities, especially among female adolescents. More parents encouraged adolescent sons but limited daughters to use technology, yet female adolescents reported greater technological confidence. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that adolescents’ technological confidence mediated the positive association between parental encouragement and adolescents’ technological engagement across all parent-adolescent dyads, but with some nuances. Our findings suggest that prospective gender studies and educational programs should consider the influences of parenting and gender on promoting African American adolescents’ technological involvement and confidence.

     

教师教学效能感：结构与影响因素的研究

为研究区分教师教学效果的一个重要变量──教学效能感,采用教师教学效能量表对３８２名中学教师及其相应的在校大学生进行了测查．因素分析结果表明,教师数学效能感可以分为一般教育效能感和个人教学效能感两个方面,这与班杜拉的自我效能理论和Ａｓｈｔｏｎ的教师教学效能感模型相一致．通过对可能影响教师数学效能感因素的考察发现,教龄因素对教师一般教育效能感和个人教学效能感有不同的影响,随教龄的增加,教师的一般教育效能感呈下降趋势,而个人教学效能感表现出上升的倾向．特别是,在校大学生与已从事教育工作的教师,在教学效能感的两个维度上存在着显著的差异;性别和学历因素对教师教学效能感不存在显著的影响．     

马克思国家与社会关系思想的伦理关怀意蕴

马克思认为奴隶制、封建制时期国家与社会是同一的、重合的,这种现象导致了对人的个性自由的泯灭;资本主义时期国家与社会是分离的,这种分离具有历史进步性,同时也带来了人的生活的二元化与人的本质的异化.只有国家复归于社会,才能实现人的自由全面发展.马克思关于国家与社会关系的思想中,内含着对人的自由、本质、发展的伦理关怀意蕴.     

"以生言性"的传统与孟子性善论

This article analyses the tradition of “articulating xing in terms of sheng” and related other expressions, and also examines the debate between Mencius and Gaozi concerning “xing is known by sheng.” It claims that while Mencius’ “human nature is good” discourse is influenced by the interpretive tradition of “articulating xing in terms of sheng”, Mencius also transcends and develops this tradition. Therefore it is only when Mencius’ views about the goodness of human nature are understood in the context of this interpretive tradition that his ideas can be fully understood. Utilizing this framework, the Confucian understanding of rights is then explored. Translated by Andrew Lambert from Zhexue yanjiu 哲学研究 (Philosophical Researches), 2007, (7): 36–42     

2PL模型的两种马尔可夫蒙特卡洛缺失数据处理方法比较

马尔科夫蒙特卡洛（MCMC）是项目反应理论中处理缺失数据的一种典型方法。文章通过模拟研究比较了在不同被试人数,项目数,缺失比例下两种MCMC方法（M-H within Gibbs和DA-T Gibbs）参数估计的精确性,并结合了实证研究。研究结果表明,两种方法是有差异的,项目参数估计均受被试人数影响很大,受缺失比例影响相对更小。在样本较大缺失比例较小时,M-H within Gibbs参数估计的均方误差（RMSE）相对略小,随着样本数的减少或缺失比例的增加,DA-T Gibbs方法逐渐优于M-H within Gibbs方法     

“赶鬼治病”是神迹还是迷信

宗教和巫术关系的问题,是宗教学研究中的重要的问题。我们发表这篇文章,志在引起相关的讨论。     

Benefiting from social capital in online support groups: an empirical study of cancer patients.

With measures specific to the online cancer environment and data from an online survey of cancer patients, the current study finds support for the following model: asynchronous online communication --> social interaction --> social support --> positive health outcomes in terms of stress, depression, and coping. The findings suggest that the Internet can be a positive cyber venue for cancer patients as they confront illness, undergo treatment, and seek out support.     

心境一致性对大学生外显和内隐记忆影响的实验研究

以96名大一本科生为被试,采用120张情绪效价人物图片,运用加工分离范式研究心境一致性对大学生内隐记忆的影响。结果发现：（1）心境一致性效应不仅存在于外显记忆,而且也存在于内隐记忆;（2）心境一致性效应在外显记忆和内隐记忆上没有性别差异;（3）在心境一致性实验中,自然抑郁组被试可能存在外显记忆缺损。     

酒精性脂肪性肝病与非酒精性脂肪性肝病的对立统一

脂肪性肝病从病因上分为酒精性和非酒精性FLD,两者在临床诊断标准、分型、针对性治疗措施方面显著不同;但在防治目标、非药物治疗、保肝护肝等基础治疗方面又是一致的,这种对立统一的关系对我们的临床诊疗有着重要的指导意义,在临床实践中需要通盘考虑。