A shortened version of Raven’s standard progressive matrices for children and adolescents

Numerous developmental studies assess general cognitive ability, not as the primary variable of interest, but rather as a background variable. Raven’s Progressive Matrices is an easy to administer non-verbal test that is widely used to measure general cognitive ability. However, the relatively long administration time (up to 45 min) is still a drawback for developmental studies as it often leaves little time to assess the primary variable of interest. Therefore, we used a machine learning approach – regularized regression in combination with cross-validation – to develop a short 15-item version. We did so for two age groups, namely 9 to 12 years and 13 to 16 years. The short versions predicted the scores on the standard full 60-item versions to a very high degree r = 0.89 (9–12 years) and r = 0.93 (13–16 years). We, therefore, recommend using the short version to measure general cognitive ability as a background variable in developmental studies.     

PTSD易感性人格特质、工作记忆能力和创伤期间认知加工对模拟创伤闪回的影响

基于模拟创伤研究范式, 采用道路交通事故影片对159名健康大学生进行模拟创伤, 考察PTSD易感性人格特质(特质焦虑、特质分离和神经质)、工作记忆能力(注意控制和工作记忆容量)和创伤期间认知加工(数据驱动加工和概念加工)对模拟创伤后不同时段闪回的影响。运用结构方程模型分析数据, 结果发现：(1)数据驱动加工正向预测不同时段闪回(即时闪回、一周闪回和触发闪回)的数量、生动性、痛苦度以及一周侵入频率; (2)神经质正向预测触发闪回痛苦度, 注意控制和工作记忆容量负向预测一周侵入频率; (3)概念加工在注意控制与即时闪回痛苦度之间起中介作用。研究结果提示：数据驱动加工是创伤后不同时段闪回的主要影响因素; 概念加工主要作用于早期急性应激反应, 注意控制是其保护因素; 神经质和工作记忆能力对闪回具有较长期的影响, 且工作记忆能力具有一定的保护作用。     

社区老年人执行功能和加工速度与运动能力的关系

随着年龄的增长,老年人的运动能力和执行功能,以及心理加工速度都出现不同程度的衰退。已有的研究多集中于步行与跌倒,未能统合考察运动能力、心理加工速度以及执行功能各子成分之间的关系。本研究对66名老年人的运动能力、执行功能以及加工速度进行了测试,通过经典范式对老年人四种运动能力测试(握力、30秒连续坐起、闭眼单足站立、起立行走计时)与执行功能各子成分(抑制控制、刷新功能、转换功能以及工作记忆)及心理加工速度进行了统合考察,更深入地探究了老年人运动能力与认知能力之间的关系。结果发现,在运动能力中,起立行走计时的成绩与执行功能和加工速度的关系最为密切,对起立行走计时的预测模型中加工速度权重最大。结果提示,对老年人认知功能的干预可能会影响老年人的基本运动能力。     

武汉市老年护理医院出院患者疾病构成帕累托图分析

为了解武汉市老年护理医院患者主要病种、多发病种构成情况,以武汉市5家老年护理医院的病案统计数据为资料,运用帕累托图分析法对1236例出院患者的情况进行分析。武汉市老年护理医院患者中病种以心血管病、脑血管病、脑卒中后遗症、慢性支气管炎、糖尿病、肺气肿、骨折等疾病为主,其构成占到老年护理医院出院病例疾病构成的90％以上。     

Cognitive ability, right-wing authoritarianism, and social dominance orientation: A five-year longitudinal study amongst adolescents

We report longitudinal data in which we assessed the relationships between intelligence and support for two constructs that shape ideological frameworks, namely, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO). Participants (N = 375) were assessed in Grade 7 and again in Grade 12. Verbal and numerical ability were assessed when students entered high school in Grade 7. RWA and SDO were assessed before school graduation in Grade 12. After controlling for the possible confounding effects of personality and religious values in Grade 12, RWA was predicted by low g (β = − .16) and low verbal intelligence (β = − .18). SDO was predicted by low verbal intelligence only (β = − .13). These results are discussed with reference to the role of verbal intelligence in predicting support for such ideological frameworks and some comments are offered regarding the cognitive distinctions between RWA and SDO.     

On the myth and the reality of the temporal validity degradation of general mental ability test scores

Claims of changes in the validity coefficients associated with general mental ability (GMA) tests due to the passage of time (i.e., temporal validity degradation) have been the focus of an on-going debate in applied psychology. To evaluate whether and, if so, under what conditions this degradation may occur, we integrate evidence from multiple sub-disciplines of psychology. The temporal stability of construct validity is considered in light of the evidence regarding the differential stability of g and the invariance of measurement properties of GMA tests over the adult life-span. The temporal stability of criterion-related validity is considered in light of evidence from long-term predictive validity studies in educational and occupational realms. The evidence gained from this broad-ranging review suggests that temporal degradation of the construct- and criterion-related validity of ability test scores may not be as ubiquitous as some have previously concluded. Rather, it appears that both construct and criterion-related validity coefficients are reasonably robust over time and that any apparent degradation of criterion-related validity coefficients has more to do with changes in the determinants of task performance and changes in the nature of the criterion domain rather temporal degradation per se (i.e., the age of the test scores). A key exception to the conclusion that temporal validity degradation is more myth than reality concerns decision validity. Although the evidence is sparse, it is likely that the utility of a given GMA test score for making diagnostic decisions about an individual deteriorates over time. Importantly, we also note several areas in need of additional and more rigorous research before strong conclusions can be supported.     

Placing inspection time, reaction time, and perceptual speed in the broader context of cognitive ability: The VPR model in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

The idea that information processing speed is related to cognitive ability has a long history. Much evidence has been amassed in its support, with respect to both individual differences in general intelligence and developmental trajectories. Two so-called elementary cognitive tasks, reaction time and inspection time, have been used to compile this evidence, but most studies have used either one or the other. Relations between speed and fluid intelligence have tended to be stronger than those between speed and crystallized intelligence, but studies testing this have confounded verbal abilities with crystallized intelligence and spatial/perceptual abilities with fluid intelligence. Questions have also been raised regarding whether speed contributes directly to general intelligence or to more specific cognitive abilities to which general intelligence also contributes. We used 18 ability and speed measures in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936, assessed at approximately age 70, to construct alternative versions of the Verbal-Perceptual-Image Rotation (Johnson & Bouchard, 2005a) model of cognitive ability to test different hypotheses regarding these issues. Though differences in the extents to which our models fit the data were relatively small, they suggested that reaction and inspection time tasks were comparable indicators of information processing speed with respect to general intelligence, that verbal and spatial abilities were similarly related to information processing speed, and that spatial, verbal, and perceptual speed abilities were more directly related to information processing speed than was general intelligence. We discuss the theoretical implications of these results.     

个体自我监控能力、思维品质与数学学业成绩的关系研究

对197个高三生施测《中学生数学学科自我监控能力问卷》和《高三学生数学思维品质问卷》,以探讨个体自我监控能力、思维品质对数学学业成绩的影响模式。结果:(1)自我监控能力与思维品质、数学学业成绩均呈显著正相关。(2)在自我监控能力、思维品质对数学学业成绩的影响模型中,自我监控能力直接影响数学学业成绩,并通过思维品质这一中介变量作用于数学学业成绩。思维品质直接影响数学学业成绩。(3)女生组与男生组的自我监控能力、思维品质与数学学业成绩的结构系数的模型无显著差异。     

The role of inhibitory control in behavioral and physiological expressions of toddler executive function

A total of 81 toddlers (24-27 months of age) participated in a biobehavioral investigation of inhibitory control. Maternal report measures of inhibitory control were related to laboratory tasks assessing inhibitory abilities under conditions of conflict, delay, and compliance challenge as well as toddler verbal ability. In addition, unique variance in inhibitory control was explained by task-related changes in brain electrical activity at lateral frontal scalp sites as well as concurrent inhibitory task performance. Implications regarding neural correlates of executive function during early development and a central organizing role of inhibitory processing during toddlerhood are discussed.     

Modern Regression Methods that can Substantially Increase Power and Provide a more Accurate Understanding of Associations

During the last half century, hundreds of papers published in statistical journals have documented general conditions where reliance on least squares regression and Pearson's correlation can result in missing even strong associations between variables. Moreover, highly misleading conclusions can be made, even when the sample size is large. There are, in fact, several fundamental concerns related to non‐normality, outliers, heteroscedasticity, and curvature that can result in missing a strong association. Simultaneously, a vast array of new methods has been derived for effectively dealing with these concerns. The paper (i) reviews why least squares regression and classic inferential methods can fail, (ii) provides an overview of the many modern strategies for dealing with known problems, including some recent advances, and (iii) illustrates that modern robust methods can make a practical difference in our understanding of data. Included are some general recommendations regarding how modern methods might be used. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.