Habitual Self‐Control: A Brief Measure of Persistent Goal Pursuit

Habitual self‐control is defined as a trait‐like personal resource factor that facilitates the enactment of difficult intentions. A 14‐item Habitual Self‐Control Questionnaire (HSCQ) was developed to assess this trait. Reliability, factorial validity, and criterion validity were assessed in five undergraduate student subsamples with an overall N of 2224. Internal consistency was .81 across the entire sample, and test–retest reliability was .83 over a one‐month interval. The HSCQ showed a theoretically meaningful pattern in terms of convergent and discriminant validity and criterion validity in predicting a variety of health behaviours that relate to self‐control, including exercise, dieting behaviour, binge eating and weight loss success. Further, the HSCQ contributed uniquely to the prediction of health behaviours beyond alternative self‐control scales. In a longitudinal part of the study, the HSCQ added to the prediction of action plan completion and satisfaction beyond motivation and moderated the relationship between motivation and enactment of action plans as theoretically expected. In sum, the results provided strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the HSCQ and highlighted some theoretically meaningful differences to already existing measures of self‐control. Theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the validity of multinomial models using extraneous variables: An application to prospective memory

The class of multinomial processing tree (MPT) models has been used extensively in cognitive psychology to model latent cognitive processes. Critical for the usefulness of a MPT model is its psychological validity. Generally, the validity of a MPT model is demonstrated by showing that its parameters are selectively and predictably affected by theoretically meaningful experimental manipulations. Another approach is to test the convergent validity of the model parameters and other extraneous measures intended to measure the same cognitive processes. Here, we advance the concept of construct validity (Cronbach & Meehl, 1955 Cronbach, L. J. and Meehl, P. E. 1955. Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin, 52: 281–302. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) as a criterion for model validity in MPT modelling and show how this approach can be fruitfully utilized using the example of a MPT model of event-based prospective memory. For that purpose, we investigated the convergent validity of the model parameters and established extraneous measures of prospective memory processes over a range of experimental settings, and we found a lack of convergent validity between the two indices. On a conceptual level, these results illustrate the importance of testing convergent validity. Additionally, they have implications for prospective memory research, because they demonstrate that the MPT model of event-based prospective memory is not able to differentiate between different processes contributing to prospective memory performance.     

I’m lonely,can’t you tell? Convergent validity of self- and informant ratings of loneliness

To what degree do self-ratings of loneliness converge with informant ratings? In this study, we obtained self-ratings of loneliness from 463 young adults and informant ratings from their parents, friends, and romantic partners. Convergence among these ratings was estimated using structural equation models for multitrait-multimethod data and compared to self-informant convergence of life-satisfaction ratings. Self- and informant ratings were moderately correlated and comparable to self-informant correlations obtained for life satisfaction. Romantic partners were more accurate in their judgments than both friends and parents, who did not differ significantly from each other in terms of accuracy. Together, these findings indicate that informant ratings of loneliness can be used as valid indicators of loneliness in applied contexts and in future research.     

辨别任务中线索有效性对儿童返回抑制发展的影响

采用辨别任务范式,运用三个3×3×3的混合实验设计(线索有效性、年级、靶子出现位置),考察了3种线索-靶子时间间隔下线索有效性对辨别任务中儿童返回抑制发展的影响。结果表明:(1)随着年龄的增长,儿童完成任务所需的反应时逐渐缩短;(2)随着年龄的增长,儿童出现返回抑制所需的SOA缩短;(3)辨别任务的难度比较大,所需的认知技能和工作记忆更多,因此返回抑制出现的机制也就更复杂,线索有效性对辨别任务下的返回抑制的影响并没有呈现出规律性的变化。     

中国人人格量表的信度与效度

在初步确定中国人人格量表（Qingnian Zhongguo Personality Scale, QZPS）的基础上,通过对5000多被试的施测,确定了QZPS的项目构成及信度和效度。研究中对QZPS的项目重新进行探索性因素分析,确认了中国人人格的七因素结构,根据对每一个大因素的因素分析和项目鉴别度分析,确定了QZPS各个因素的项目构成和内部一致性系数,共180个项目。通过自-他评定的相关、自评与标尺评定的相关、以及对特殊群体分数分布的分析验证了QZPS的效度。研究结果确认QZPS有良好的信度和效度,可以应用于人格的理论和应用领域。     

基于人工神经网络的一种效度凭证求取方法

针对基于统计学的效度凭证求取方法所存在的问题,提出了基于人工神经网络的效度凭证求取方法。蒙特卡罗模拟实验和对实际数据的分析表明,当测验分数和效标分数为单变量且非线性关系时,或者测验分数和效标分数为多变量时,运用神经网络方法可以比统计学方法更好地求取心理测验效度的基于和其他变量关系的凭证。     

A comparative analysis of the validity of several approaches to the scoring of the behavior of the preterm infant

A group of very low birthweight preterm infants (mean WEIGHT = 1193.6 g; mean gestational AGE = 31.1 weeks) were examined with the PREMIE. The PREMIE is a modification of the scoring system of the full term Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment (BNBAS) examination for use with preterm infants. Infants were assessed during the acute phase of cardio-respiratory illness (mean AGE = 7 days) and during the recovery phase (mean AGE = 22 days). Many modifications in procedure were required. Several analyses were performed to assess the redundancy and the comparative validity of the scoring systems of the PREMIE, the BNBAS, and the BNBAS + (the BNBAS plus a set of five additional preterm items). Results indicated that the three scoring systems were highly redundant, that they were equally related to physiologic and clinical variables, and that they were similar in their sensitivity to behavioral change and stability. Overall the results offered little in the way of differentiating among these three scoring systems with this group of infants, raising doubts about the need to use the PREMIE or other scoring systems like it for many research purposes.     

Convergence of multiple sources of information on infant individuality: neonatal behavior,infant behavior,and temperament reports

To shed light on the notion of enduring individual infant characteristics, convergence of three presumably interrelated measures of infant individuality was examined. Data collected included standardized behavioral assessments of the newborn (NBAS), maternal reports of infant temperament (at 3 and 9 months), and naturalistic observations of infant behavior at 1, 3, and 9 months. Infant temperament reports were significantly stable from 3 to 9 months; observed infant fussiness was significantly stable from 1 to 3 and 3 to 9 months; observed altertness/social responsiveness was not stable over time. Analyses of convergence of neonatal and infant behavior revealed that 9-month infant alertness/social responsiveness was significantly correlated with neonatal habituation. Similar analyses of neonatal behavior and reported temperament revealed that 3-month reported dullness was significantly correlated with neonatal habituation and range of state. At 9 months, temperament ratings of infant fussiness and unpredictability were significantly correlated with autonomic stability; fussiness was also significantly correlated with regulation of state. Finally, no significant relationships were observed between reported temperament and observed infant behavior. These results fail to support a simple notion of enduring individuality in infants over their first year of life.     

Reliability and validity of a cost-efficient sociometric measure

Sociometric measures have been used frequently to measure social status; however, reliable sociograms for young children usually involve time-consuming administrations. A group-administered, peer-rating sociogram, the Sociometric Peer-Rating Scale (SPRS), was devised and given to 217 first and second graders. Concomitantly, teacher nominations of children most liked, aggressive, or withdrawn and behavioral observations of the high- and low-SPRS children were obtained. After 7 months, the SPRS was readministered. On a separate population of eight kindergarten children, this sociogram and a similar, individually administered sociogram were given. Normative data, test-retest reliability, and split-half reliability were reported. The test-retest reliability was comparable to the reported reliability of other peer-rating sociograms, and the SPRS correlated significantly with teacher ratings of aggressiveness and likability and with the individually administered sociogram. The number of positive interactions was significantly different for high-versus low-SPRS children. The usefulness of the SPRS as a measure of social competence was discussed.This research was submitted by the author in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a master's degree at the Florida State University.I would like to thank the Master's committee, Wallace Kennedy, William Pelham, and Joseph Torgesen, and the participating schools, Developmental Research School of Florida State University and Woodville Elementary School of the Leon County School District, for their assistance in this study.     

The psychometric properties of several measures of body image

Despite the recent upsurge of interest in the construct of body image, there is relatively little information on the psychometric properties of the instruments used to measure it. This study investigated the reliability and validity of several measures of body image and compared bulimics and normals on these measures. One hundred ten normal weight females, half of whom were diagnosed as bulimic, were administered two measures of affect toward one's body, two measures of perceptions of one's entire body, and three measures of perceptions of the size of specific body sites (face, shoulders, waist, and hips). In themain, the measures provided reliable indices of body image. Examination of the correlation matrix for the measures disclosed convergence for the affective measures of body image and for all but one of the perceptual measures of body image. There was also significant covariation between the affective and the perceptual measures. The multitrait-multimethod technique was used to investigate the construct validity of the measures concerned with perceptions of the size of body sites. The multitrait-multimethod matrices disclosed substantial convergence between perceptions of face, shoulder, waist, and hip size across the three measures. However, the measure which used kinesthetic estimates of body-site size produced low reliabilities and all three of the measures showed substantial method variance. Bulimics and normals differed significantly on both the affective and the perceptual components of body image.This study is based on the first author's masters thesis. Portions of this study were represented at the 1986 meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association. A grant to the third author from the Anclote Psychiatric Center provided support for this research project.