A parametric procedure for ultrametric tree estimation from conditional rank order proximity data

The psychometric and classification literatures have illustrated the fact that a wide class of discrete or network models (e.g., hierarchical or ultrametric trees) for the analysis of ordinal proximity data are plagued by potential degenerate solutions if estimated using traditional nonmetric procedures (i.e., procedures which optimize a STRESS-based criteria of fit and whose solutions are invariant under a monotone transformation of the input data). This paper proposes a new parametric, maximum likelihood based procedure for estimating ultrametric trees for the analysis of conditional rank order proximity data. We present the technical aspects of the model and the estimation algorithm. Some preliminary Monte Carlo results are discussed. A consumer psychology application is provided examining the similarity of fifteen types of snack/breakfast items. Finally, some directions for future research are provided.     

Ordinal network representation: Representing proximities by graphs

Ordinal network representations are graph-theoretic representations of proximity data. They seek to provide parsimonious representations of the ordinal (nonmetric) information in observed proximity data by means of the minimum-path-length distance of a connected and weighted graph. In contrast to traditional tree-based graph-theoretic approaches, ordinal network representation is not limited to but includes the representation by trees. Asymmetry in the proximity data and violations of zero-minimality are allowed for. The paper explores fundamental representation and uniqueness results and discusses a method of constructing ordinal network representations. A simple strategy for handling the problem of errors in the data is described and illustrated.This work was supported by grant Fe 75/20-2 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. The author is indebted to Hubert Feger for many inspiring discussions.     

工业与组织心理学中的集体效能感

集体效能感是指团体成员对于团体成功地完成特定任务或取得特定水平成就的能力的共同信念,其测量方法主要有自我效能感总和法、个体评估平均法和团体讨论法等三种。在影响效果方面,集体效能感可以有效地预测绩效以及其他一些工作态度和行为变量,但过高的集体效能感也会产生负面作用;在影响因素方面,团体规模和团体间竞争等团体内外部因素均能显著影响集体效能感,并且目标设定训练等干预措施也能显著提高集体效能感。文章最后指出未来的研究有必要加强对新型团队中的集体效能感、集体效能感的动态变化等五方面问题的探讨     

Mental Health Aspects of Arab-Israeli Adolescents From Polygamous Versus Monogamous Families

Abstract

The authors considered the mental health consequences of polygamy in a sample of 101 Arab Muslim adolescents (19 from polygamous and 82 from monogamous families) at Juarish (Ramla), Israel. The respondents completed the Self-Esteem Scale (SE; M. Rosenberg, 1979), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; L. Derogatis & N. Melsavados, 1983; L. Derogatis & P. Spencer, 1982), and the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD; N. B. Epstein, M. N. Baldwin, & D. S. Bishop, 1983). The respondents from polygamous families had lower SE scores, statistically significant higher scores in 2 BSI dimensions, higher scores in all other BSI dimensions, and higher levels of self-reported family dysfunction. The respondents from polygamous families reported lower levels of socioeconomic status, academic achievement, and parental academic attainment. Those variables may have had a more direct impact on mental health than did parental marital status. The data also indicated that perceived family functioning was the best predictor of mental health.     

What Causes the Mean Bias of the Likelihood Ratio Statistic with Many Variables?

Abstract

Survey data often contain many variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is commonly used in analyzing such data. However, conventional SEM methods are not crafted to handle data with a large number of variables (p). A large p can cause T_ml, the most widely used likelihood ratio statistic, to depart drastically from the assumed chi-square distribution even with normally distributed data and a relatively large sample size N. A key element affecting this behavior of T_ml is its mean bias. The focus of this article is to determine the cause of the bias. To this end, empirical means of T_ml via Monte Carlo simulation are used to obtain the empirical bias. The most effective predictors of the mean bias are subsequently identified and their predictive utility examined. The results are further used to predict type I errors of T_ml. The article also illustrates how to use the obtained results to determine the required sample size for T_ml to behave reasonably well. A real data example is presented to show the effect of the mean bias on model inference as well as how to correct the bias in practice.     

创造性思维中语义搜索过程：基于答案累积时间函数和语义相似性的量化分析

通过描绘发散性思维测验(物品多用途, AUT)中答案生成在累积函数和语义相似性等一系列参数上的量化特征, 揭示创造性思维的语义搜索过程。结果发现：(1)新颖AUT条件中, 语义搜索呈现与自由联想类似的负加速特点, 但搜索速度较寻常AUT条件更慢。(2)新颖AUT条件中所生成的答案与题目(即物品)均具有较低的语义相似性, 且显著小于寻常AUT条件。(3)新颖AUT条件中生成的答案比寻常AUT条件表现出显著更低的聚类程度, 其中可聚类答案和未聚类答案与题目的语义相似度均较低, 且不存在显著差异, 二者在新颖性上也不存在显著差异。以上结果说明了创造性思维的语义信息搜索过程具有与自由联想类似的激活扩散特征, 但总体搜索速度较慢。新颖性要求使得个体在最初搜索时便开始摆脱题目的语义限制而进行远距离搜索(避免就近搜索), 并倾向于在每个语义场中只生成一个答案(避免局部搜索), 但也可能会在远离题目的语义场中生成多个同类别答案。     

Relationships between personality traits and positive/negative sexual cognitions

In this study we examined the relationship between gender, age, religion, neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, and obsessiveness on one side and the frequency and content of sexual cognitions experienced as being positive/pleasant or negative/unpleasant on the other. The sample was made up of 1,500 individuals (42.8% men and 57.2% women) aged between 18 and 72 years. Results indicated that all the socio-demographic variables as well as the traits neuroticism, openness to experience, and obsessiveness were important in the prediction of the overall frequency of positive sexual cognitions. Age and neuroticism, openness to experience, and obsessiveness were found to be significant in the prediction of the overall frequency of negative sexual cognitions. When considering the content of sexual cognitions (i.e., intimate, exploratory, sadomasochistic, and impersonal), all the socio-demographic variables and the trait openness to experience were found to be significantly related to all types of positive sexual cognitions. Neither socio-demographic variables nor personality traits were significantly associated with the content of negative sexual cognitions. Overall, this study highlights the weakness of the predictive value of personality traits on sexual cognitions, especially those experienced as being negative. We discuss the usefulness of classic personality traits in predicting sexual aspects.     

La androginia y el ajuste de pareja

RESUMEN

En este artículo se constrasta la hipótesis de que existe una relación entre las orientaciones de roles sexuales de los miembros de parejas heterosexuales y el ajuste de dichas parejas. Comenzando con la exposición del panorama actual de las investigaciones sobre el tema y tras concretar los objetivos de su estudio, los autores describen el método y resultados del mismo. Finalmente en las conclusiones destacan que se ha visto confirmada la existencia de una posible relación entre las distintas orientaciones hacia el rol sexual de los sujetos y el modo en que éstos estiman su relación de pareja, siendo los hombres femeninos y las mujeres andróginas quienes por lo general informaban de mayor felicidad. Respecto a los tipos de parejas y el ajuste de las mismas, los autores afirman que sus objetivos parecen haberse confirmado ampliamente, ya que las parejas más ajustadas eran aquéllas en donde tanto un miembro como el otro habían sido categorizados como andróginos, o en donde al menos uno presentaba un alto grado de características tanto masculinas como femeninas.     

Music Training and Semantic Clustering in College Students

College students with 5 or more years of music training recalled significantly more words from a 16-item word list than did students with 0-4 years of training. The superior recall of the extensively trained students linked to better application of a semantic-clustering strategy across a series of 3 test trials. Music education and language experience may have similar influences on the development of verbal memory.     

State of the aRt personality research: A tutorial on network analysis of personality data in R

Network analysis represents a novel theoretical approach to personality. Network approaches motivate alternative ways of analyzing data, and suggest new ways of modeling and simulating personality processes. In the present paper, we provide an overview of network analysis strategies as they apply to personality data. We discuss different ways to construct networks from typical personality data, show how to compute and interpret important measures of centrality and clustering, and illustrate how one can simulate on networks to mimic personality processes. All analyses are illustrated using a data set on the commonly used HEXACO questionnaire using elementary R-code that readers may easily adapt to apply to their own data.