Bridging the gap between theory and model: a reflection on the balance scale task

At first glance, the two lead articles in this issue share little except the balance scale task, yet we view them as complementary rather than unrelated or contradictory. Our Reflection focuses on the individual strengths of the two lead articles and, to a greater extent, the potential power of their combined perspectives. Our general approach is to allow psychological theory to suggest a model of performance that can both evaluate specific theoretical claims and reveal important features of the data that had been previously obscured using conventional statistical analyses. Our guiding principle is that model, theory, and data all should be connected.     

Measure and integral with purely ordinal scales

We develop a purely ordinal model for aggregation functionals for lattice-valued functions, comprising as special cases quantiles, the Ky Fan metric and the Sugeno integral. For modelling findings of psychological experiments like the reflection effect in decision behaviour under risk or uncertainty, we introduce reflection lattices. These are complete linear lattices endowed with an order reversing bijection like the reflection at 0 on the real interval [−1,1]. Mathematically we investigate the lattice of nonvoid intervals in a complete linear lattice, then the class of monotone interval-valued functions and their inner product.     

Dynamics of choice: a tutorial

Choice may be defined as the allocation of behavior among activities. Since all activities take up time, choice is conveniently thought of as the allocation of time among activities, even if activities like pecking are most easily measured by counting. Since dynamics refers to change through time, the dynamics of choice refers to change of allocation through time. In the dynamics of choice, as in other dynamical systems that include feedback, change is away from perturbation and toward a steady state. Steady state or equilibrium is assessed on a longer time scale than change because change is only visible on a smaller time scale. When we compare laws of equilibrium, such as the matching law with laws of dynamics, two possibilities emerge. Self-similarity occurs when the same law can be seen across smaller time scales, with the result that the law at longer time scales may be understood as the expression of its application at smaller time scales. Reduction occurs when the dynamics at a small time scale are incommensurate with the dynamics at longer time scales. Then the process at the longer time scale is reduced to a qualitatively different process at the smaller time scale, as when choice is reduced to switching patterns. When reduction occurs, the dynamics at the longer time scale may be derived from the process at the smaller time scale, but not the other way around. Research at different time scales is facilitated by the molar view of behavior.     

L’adaptation transculturelle d’une échelle de mesure Cas de l’échelle des ancres de carrière

The objective of this research is to achieve a transcultural adaptation of a measure scale of professional values, particularly Schein’s (1985) career anchors from a north American context where it has been conceived to an arab-islamic culture, Tunisian’s environment. For this, this research follows a rigorous methodological process, that enable it to establish a new measure scale, offering good psychometric qualities and building up professional values adapted to Tunisian employees.     

IRTree models with ordinal and multidimensional decision nodes for response styles and trait-based rating responses

IRTree models decompose observed rating responses into sequences of theory-based decision nodes, and they provide a flexible framework for analysing trait-related judgements and response styles. However, most previous applications of IRTree models have been limited to binary decision nodes that reflect qualitatively distinct and unidimensional judgement processes. The present research extends the family of IRTree models for the analysis of response styles to ordinal judgement processes for polytomous decisions and to multidimensional parametrizations of decision nodes. The integration of ordinal judgement processes overcomes the limitation to binary nodes, and it allows researchers to test whether decisions reflect qualitatively distinct response processes or gradual steps on a joint latent continuum. The extension to multidimensional node models enables researchers to specify multiple judgement processes that simultaneously affect the decision between competing response options. Empirical applications highlight the roles of extreme and midpoint response style in rating judgements and show that judgement processes are moderated by different response formats. Model applications with multidimensional decision nodes reveal that decisions among rating categories are jointly informed by trait-related processes and response styles.     

Development and validation of the Eyewitness Metamemory Scale

Metamemory can be defined as the knowledge about one's memory capabilities and about strategies that can aid memory. In this paper, we describe the development and validation of the Eyewitness Metamemory Scale (EMS), tailored specifically for use in face memory and eyewitness identification settings. Participants (N = 800) completed the EMS and other measures on general metamemory. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed good factorial validity, internal consistency, and content validity. The EMS items emerged into three distinct factors: memory contentment, memory discontentment, and memory strategies. The EMS is a brief and easily administrable questionnaire that might be used to assess self‐ratings of face recognition capacity and use of strategies to encode faces.     

Group structure and entitativity in group fitness: considering groupness at within- and between-group levels

Objective: How can we distinguish between a collection of individuals exercising alongside one another from group that is exercising ‘together’? This question is central to research on the extent that individuals perceive their fitness settings to entail core features of groups. To advance understanding of the nature of groupness and its implications in exercise, the current study (a) evaluated a brief measure of groupness and (b) examined the extent that groupness predicted perceptions of exertion and affect.

Design: Participants included 633 exercisers (M_age?=?33.92, SD?=?11.05, 74% female) who completed surveys after group fitness classes (k?=?34).

Main outcome measures: Groupness, affect, exertion, and group cohesion.

Results: Exploratory structural equation modelling provided support for a two-factor solution reflecting entitativity and group structure as subdimensions of groupness. The groupness factors were differentially associated with theoretically relevant aspects of classes (e.g. synchronised movement), the individual (e.g. number of members interacted with), as well as group cohesion. Groupness also predicted perceived exertion and affect.

Conclusion: Our research provides support for a brief measure of groupness, advances theory related to how individuals perceive exercise groups, and provides evidence regarding how broader experiences during exercise may relate to exercisers’ perceptions of groupness.     

自闭症诊断与治疗研究动向综述

自1943年LeoKanner教授发表第一篇关于自闭症的研究论文以来,经过半个多世纪的不断深入研究,儿童自闭症这一广泛性发展障碍领域的理沦与技术已越显成熟．不仅继承了Kanner教授的一些经典的东西,而且也修正了他关于自闭症的一些错误看法,并扩充了由于Kanner所处时代的科技水平的局限性而不可能得出的一些最新研究成果。本文试图就国内外在自闭症的诊断与治疗方面的一些研究成果和研究动向作一个全面的综述。     

我国城市居民消费心理预期的结构及其影响因素研究

本研究采用自编《消费心理预期结构问卷》对1097名城市居民进行了研究,结果表明：1《消费心理预期结构问卷》具有较高的信度和效度;2．消费心理预期由预测经历、信息量、价格知觉水平、信息来源与渠道,以及预测依据等5个因素构成;3．现阶段,我国城市居民消费心理预期的一般特点是预期的准确性不高预期的理性化程度尚有待提高;影响消费心理预期结构的主要因素是消费者的性另、年龄、学历、职业和所在城市等变量。     

中国人获得感的结构研究

获得感是一个具有心理内涵与时代特色的新生概念。为了探究获得感的结构内涵,通过自由联想法形成量表的初始项目,先后进行两次预测并根据结果修订量表。然后对量表进行正式施测并检验其信效度,同时采用中文版生活满意度量表和幸福倾向量表进行效标效度检验。结果显示,中国人的获得感是个体对获取自身需求满足的内容、实现途径与所需条件的认知评价以及在此过程中的心理体验,包括获得体验、获得环境、获得内容、获得途径和获得分享五个维度。信效度分析表明,编制的中国人获得感量表符合心理测量学的标准,可用于相关的社会心理研究与应用。