A latent class unfolding model for analyzing single stimulus preference ratings

A multidimensional unfolding model is developed that assumes that the subjects can be clustered into a small number of homogeneous groups or classes. The subjects that belong to the same group are represented by a single ideal point. Since it is not known in advance to which group of class a subject belongs, a mixture distribution model is formulated that can be considered as a latent class model for continuous single stimulus preference ratings. A GEM algorithm is described for estimating the parameters in the model. The M-step of the algorithm is based on a majorization procedure for updating the estimates of the spatial model parameters. A strategy for selecting the appropriate number of classes and the appropriate number of dimensions is proposed and fully illustrated on some artificial data. The latent class unfolding model is applied to political science data concerning party preferences from members of the Dutch Parliament. Finally, some possible extensions of the model are discussed.The first author is supported as Bevoegdverklaard Navorser of the Belgian Nationaal Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek. Part of this paper was presented at the Distancia meeting held in Rennes, France, June 1992.     

“位置法”记忆训练对改善儿童至老年时期的认知功能研究

本工作采用“位置法”对118例被试(包括儿童、少年、青年、中年和老年五个年龄组)进行记忆训练研究,分析不同年龄人记忆的发展变化和认知训练对改善记忆的作用,进而探讨发展的认知功能储备能量的年龄差异。结果表明:1.老年和儿童组各项成绩明显低于青、少年组;2.认知干预措施可在一定程度上改善老年人的记忆,再次证明老年智力和记忆有一定的可塑性。但在发展的储备能量和对图形的迁移效应中也存在与记忆相似的年龄差异。     

Marketing measurably effective instructional methods

The failure to gain wider acceptance of measurably effective teaching methods by the educational establishment may be due to resistance to behaviorism, in particular, and to a set of contingencies that resist change, in general. The promotion of effective instructional methods is presented in terms of recommended marketing principles, including identifying and solving perceived consumer needs, using plain English, segmenting the marketplace and developing specific solutions, identifying opportunities for greatest impact, creating tangible educational products, seeking new markets, planning marketing strategy and tactics, and writing for non-technical publications. Precision Teaching is presented as a case study in the promotion of effective instructional methods. Although it is a measurably superior instructional methodology, Precision Teaching has not been widely adopted. By applying basic marketing principles and strategic planning, some of its proponents have initiated an ongoing effort of outreach and promotion.     

Toward a Renewed Theological Culture: Introduction

This article introduces a series of articles analysing the current state of theology and inquiring about the possibilities of a renewed theological culture (not least within secular societies). It places theology, and more precisely, the conditions of a possible renewal thereof, in several fields of tension. Paradigmatic for secular societies is the tension between theology and the natural sciences. It is argued that theology and the natural sciences cultivate different modes of reasoning on different epistemic levels and that no competition between them has to be construed if one is not caught up in the premises of secularism. A brief summary of each of the contributions follows these initial remarks.     

A qualitative study of the therapists' experiences of working with community reinforcement and family training

Community reinforcement and family training (CRAFT) was developed to help and support concerned significant others (CSO) of people with, for example, alcohol use disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate therapists' experiences of working with CRAFT and their experiences of the CSOs receiving CRAFT. The study has a qualitative design and is based on three focus group interviews with 17 therapists. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed six themes and four subthemes: Concerned significant others—A special group; Help prior to CRAFT—Offering information and a shoulder; CRAFT as a new and specific method (The toolbox of CRAFT, Formats for delivering CRAFT, Introducing a diary as homework and Implementing self-help material—Alone or in combination with sessions); Moving from a lack of structure to structure; Change in CSOs from the therapists' point of view; and Change in the therapist's role (Dilemmas—Personalising the intervention). The therapists were generally satisfied with the method and found it easy to adapt to. Moreover, working using a manual was more structured than they were used to and increased feelings of working professionally with the CSOs. Specifically, most therapists found the self-help book useful and indispensable in their work with CRAFT, but also agreed that it could not be used as a stand-alone intervention for most CSOs. The therapists' experiences are relevant for implementation of manualised, structured approaches and group-based interventions more broadly.     

Exogenous testosterone and social experience each enhance the development of aggressive behavior in Cyprinodon variegatus

The combined effects of testosterone and social experience from the time of hatching on development of aggressive behaviors in Cyprinodon variegatus were investigated. Social experience was defined as a rearing condition allowing visual, tactile, chemosensory, and auditory contact with zero, three, or 15 additional conspecifics. Behaviors were videotaped once weekly from 3 weeks to 4 months post-hatching, using the focal animal method, and an ethogram was constructed. At 3 months post-hatching, half the fish were injected once with testosterone propionate (2 μg/g b. w., i. p., vehicle-Ringer's solution) and the other half were injected with Ringer's isotonic saline solution. Testosteronetreated subjects showed significantly greater frequencies and durations of behaviors that may be related to aggression than did saline controls. Two weeks after the treatments, a round-robin tournament was conducted between testosterone- and saline-treated fish from each rearing condition. Testosterone-treated fish won significantly more encounters than did saline-treated subjects over all rearing conditions. Furthermore, significantly more aggressive acts were displayed by fish raised in the groups of 16 and the groups of four than did the Isolates. Although the number of aggressive acts exhibited by the group of 16 was greater than the group of four, the difference was not statistically significant.     

Religiopoiesis

Religiopoiesis describes the crafting of religion, a core activity of humankind. Each religion is grounded in its myth, and each myth includes a cosmology of origins and destiny. The scientific worldview coheres as such a myth and calls for a religiopoietic response. The difficulties, opportunities, and imperatives inherent in this call are explored, particularly as they impact the working scientist.     

A driving simulation study to investigate the information threshold of graphical variable message signs based on visual perception characteristics of drivers

Graphical variable message signs (VMSs) are infrastructure-based advanced traveler information systems widely used to provide drivers with real-time traffic condition information about a road section or area. However, there is a lack of research on the suitable volume of information to be shown on graphical VMSs. In practice, an overload of VMS information commonly exists, especially on China’s highways. Building on our earlier findings obtained through surveys and static cognitive experiments, this study introduces the use of dynamic simulation experiments to assess the influence of the volume of information (i.e., number of roads displayed) on graphical VMSs from the perspective of drivers’ visual perception characteristics. Thirty-two drivers participated in the driving simulation experiment and questionnaires. Five indexes, including legibility speed, legibility distance, legibility time, comprehension accuracy, and driver subjective scoring, were thoroughly analyzed to evaluate their relationships to different volumes of information (i.e., four, five, and six roads shown on a VMS). The results show that the legibility distance notably decreased with increasing volumes of information. The comprehension accuracy decreased significantly when the number of roads shown increased to six. The legibility speed, legibility time, and subjective scoring also deteriorated as the number of roads displayed on the VMS increased. The index scores were evaluated, in combination with the data of the drivers’ subjective scoring, data-based statistical analyses, and comprehensive evaluations using the TOPSIS method, to recommend that five is the recommended maximum number of roads to be shown on a graphical VMS. The results of this study support the goal of providing understandable and effective messages for drivers by addressing issues relating to how much information should be displayed on a VMS. These findings provide a basis for policy development to ensure consistent and practical designs of graphical VMSs on highways.     

La méthode d’intervention en psychodynamique du travail face au « tournant gestionnaire » : l’exemple d’une intervention dans une unité mixte de recherche

This text aims to show the continuing interest in using the “canonical” method of investigation in work psychodynamics in the context of what is commonly called the managerial turning point. In order to demonstrate this methodology, the authors will rely on a survey conducted in a U.M.R of science called “hard science” following a recommendation of the Agency for evaluation of research and higher education. We will raise the impact of this intervention, allowing participants to think about their work relationship and the necessary modalities in order to do it continuously well, within the managerial logic context.     

Bootstrap区间估计在认知诊断模型误设中的应用

认知诊断模型选择是认知诊断评估中重要研究问题之一。在实际应用中实践者并不知道真正拟合数据的模型,通常会用模型拟合指标检验模型与数据的拟合程度。从测量结果质量来看,除保证模型与数据拟合之外,还需要重点评价模型诊断结果的信度和效度等。考虑到以往研究大都采用基于信息量的拟合指标去判定模型与数据的匹配性,本研究提出综合考虑模型拟合指标与信度指标用于模型选择或评价模型误设。考虑实验因素为真实模型或分析模型（DINA模型、G-DINA模型、R-RUM模型）、样本量、题量和属性个数,在五因素（3×3×2×2×2）实验设计条件下,比较Bootstrap区间估计的属性分类一致性信度平均数与标准误和常用的拟合统计量-2LL、AIC、BIC对正确模型的选择率。结果表明：-2LL在题目数量多的情况下表现较好,而AIC、BIC在被试量较大的情况下表现较好,在不同的研究条件下,-2LL、AIC、BIC的模型选择率很不稳定,而用Bootstrap法估计的属性分类一致性信度平均数和标准误在不同研究条件的模型选择率较稳定,总体表现较好。