两种新的计算机化自适应测验在线标定方法

在线标定技术由于具有诸多优点而被广泛应用于计算机化自适应测验(CAT)的新题标定。Method A是想法最直接、算法最简单的CAT在线标定方法, 但它具有明显的理论缺陷--在标定过程中将能力估计值视为能力真值。将全功能极大似然估计方法(FFMLE)与“利用充分性结果”估计方法(ECSE)的误差校正思路融入Method A (新方法分别记为FFMLE-Method A和ECSE-Method A), 从理论上对能力估计误差进行校正, 进而克服Method A的标定缺陷。模拟研究的结果表明：(1)在大多数实验条件下, 两种新方法较Method A总体上可以改进标定精度, 且在测验长度为10的短测验上的改进幅度最大; (2)当CAT测验长度较短或中等(10或20题)时, 两种新方法的表现与性能最优的MEM已非常接近。当测验长度较长(30题)时, ECSE-Method A的总体表现最好、优于MEM; (3)样本量越大, 各种方法的标定精度越高。     

意识与无意识加法运算过程的分离──考察加工水平与外周预提示的作用

使用Ｊａｃｏｂｙ的过程分离程序,定量地估计了意识与无意识加法运算过程对后来迫选作业的贡献。结果表明：１．即使是在排除测验中,被试有时也要显著超过基线地选择靶数字,这一结果无疑为无意识加法运算过程的存在提供了有力的证据;２．加工水平和外周预提示影响对Ｃ值的估计,但并不影响对Ｕ值的估计。这证明加工水平与外周预提示均是分离意识与无意识加法运算过程的重要因素。     

假设形成与检验的神经机制

假设形成与检验是解决任何复杂问题的重要思维工具, 是人们发现规则, 形成概念, 建立假说, 获得知识的基础。为进一步考察这一思维能力的神经机制, 本项目在已有行为及脑电研究的基础上以“类别概括－规则发现”为研究范式, 给被试提供包含多个知觉维度的刺激, 要求被试通过知觉观察与反馈学习发现基于类别的规则(假设)。本项目重点考察被试在此任务中选择与收敛假设,以及加工否定(冲突)信息的脑机制, 并尝试揭示假设形成与检验的个体发展特征。     

多维计算机化自适应测验中项目曝光控制选题策略的比较

在MCAT中考查四种项目选择指标在有无曝光控制条件下的选题表现。项目选择指标分别是:(1)贝叶斯的D优化方法(D-optimality)、后验期望Kullback-Leibler方法(KLP)、基于等权重复合分数的最小误差方差方法(the minimized error variance of the linear combination score with equal weight,V1)和基于最优权重复合分数的最小误差方差方法(the minimized error variance of the composite score with optimized weight,V2)。将针对认知诊断CAT项目曝光控制的的限制阈值方法(Restrictive Threshold,RT)和限制进度(Restrictive Progressive,RPG)方法、单维CAT中的最大优先指标方法(Maximum Priority Index,MPI)推广到MCAT。模拟研究表明:(1)KLP,D-优化和V1对领域分数估计准确,能力返真性比V2更好。(2)尽管V1和V2方法相比KLP和D-优化方法提高了题库利用率,但这四种选题指标都产生不均匀的项目曝光率分布。(2)三种曝光控制策略都极大地提高项目曝光均匀性,且不明显降低测量精度。(3)MPI与RPG方法在曝光控制方面表现类似,且比RT的方法表现更好。     

Tests for equality of several alpha coefficients when their sample estimates are dependent

In a variety of measurement situations, the researcher may wish to compare the reliabilities of several instruments administered to the same sample of subjects. This paper presents eleven statistical procedures which test the equality ofm coefficient alphas when the sample alpha coefficients are dependent. Several of the procedures are derived in detail, and numerical examples are given for two. Since all of the procedures depend on approximate asymptotic results, Monte Carlo methods are used to assess the accuracy of the procedures for sample sizes of 50, 100, and 200. Both control of Type I error and power are evaluated by computer simulation. Two of the procedures are unable to control Type I errors satisfactorily. The remaining nine procedures perform properly, but three are somewhat superior in power and Type I error control.A more detailed version of this paper is also available.     

Toddlers’ social evaluations of agents who act on false beliefs

Mature social evaluations privilege agents’ intentions over the outcomes of their actions, but young children often privilege outcomes over intentions in verbal tasks probing their social evaluations. In three experiments (N = 118), we probed the development of intention-based social evaluation and mental state reasoning using nonverbal methods with 15-month-old toddlers. Toddlers viewed scenarios depicting a protagonist who sought to obtain one of two toys, each inside a different box, as two other agents observed. Then, the boxes’ contents were switched in the absence of the protagonist and either in the presence or the absence of the other agents. When the protagonist returned, one agent opened the box containing the protagonist's desired toy (a positive outcome), and the other opened the other box (a neutral outcome). When both agents had observed the toys move to their current locations, the toddlers preferred the agent who opened the box containing the desired toy. In contrast, when the agents had not seen the toys move and therefore should have expected the desired toy's location to be unchanged, the toddlers preferred the agent who opened the box that no longer contained the desired toy. Thus, the toddlers preferred the agent who intended to make the protagonist's desired toy accessible, even when its action, guided by a false belief concerning that toy's location, did not produce a positive outcome. Well before children connect beliefs to social behavior in verbal tasks, toddlers engage in intention-based evaluations of social agents with false beliefs.