Response to Stuart Kauffman: The Paradox of Divine Action and Scientific Truth

We three authors compare and contrast Stuart Kauffman's concept of the “cosmic mind” with similar ideas developed in our recent book, The Unity of Truth: Solving the Paradox of Science and Religion (IUniverse, 2012). Albert Einstein was known to have said: “Science without religion is lame, religion with science is blind.” We authors make use of the “paradox resolution” methods of physics to find a non-conflicting method by which God's actions communicate with human beings without violating any of the laws of science. The “communications paradox” is resolved by hypothesizing non-causal quantum-mechanical measurements as the way God communicates. the quantum-mechanical resolution of the “communications paradox” is completely consistent with both theist belief and the laws of science, whereas Kauffman's “cosmic mind” concept is seen to be consistent with pantheism.     

Positivity ratio of flourishing individuals: Examining the moderation effects of methodological variations and chronological age

We tested the relationship between flourishing and positivity ratio while accounting for different measures of affect and rating scale formats. We further examined age-related differences in positivity ratio. Studies 1 and 2 showed that positivity ratio is affected by the measure used, but not by the rating scale format. Study 3 further showed that positivity ratio is higher among older adults. The above pattern of methodological variations was replicated in Study 4 with daily ratings of emotions and in Study 5 where emotions were rated on an extended scale. Study 5 also replicated the aforementioned age effect. Together these studies suggest that positivity ratio is moderated by methodological variants and individual differences, such as chronological age. Future studies should account for these possible moderation effects when exploring the positivity ratio and its relationship to flourishing.     

Stress assessment during adolescence: Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Student Stress Inventory-Stress Manifestations across gender and age

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender and age of the Student Stress Inventory-Stress Manifestations (SSI-SM) scores in a large sample of adolescents. The sample was comprised by a total of 1108 students (482 were male), with a mean age of 14.61 years (SD = 1.71). The results indicated that the SSI-SM scores presented adequate psychometric properties from both classical test theory and Item Response Theory (IRT). Confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA), showed that both the bifactor model and a three-factor model (emotional, physiological, and behavioural) were adequate. Multi-group CFA showed that the three-factor model had strong measurement invariance across gender and age. Statistically significant differences in gender were found between latent means as well as raw scores of SSI-SM. Ordinal alpha was .78 for Physiological, .90 for the Emotional, and .79 for the Behavioural subscales. Using IRT, the SSI-SM provides more accuracy information at the medium level of the latent trait. SSI-SM subscales were associated with emotional and behavioural problems. These results provided new sources of validity evidence of the SSI-SM scores in adolescents from general population. The SSI-SM appears to be a useful, brief, and easy to administrate self-report instrument for the screening of stress manifestations at school and educational settings.     

Distinguishing intellectual humility and general humility

Two studies provide evidence for distinguishing intellectual humility (IH) from general humility (GH). Humility involves (a) an Accurate View of Self and (b) the ability to regulate egotism and cultivate an other-oriented stance; IH is a subdomain of humility that involves (a) having an accurate view of one’s intellectual strengths and limitations and (b) the ability to negotiate ideas in a fair and inoffensive manner. First, we present a theoretical framework for distinguishing these constructs. In Study 1, with a sample of undergraduate students (N = 1097), we used confirmatory factor analysis to provide empirical evidence for this distinction. We also found that IH predicted unique variance in openness to experience relative to GH. In Study 2, we examined additional evidence of discriminant validity with another sample of college students (N = 355). IH also predicted unique variance in need for cognition, objectivism, and religious ethnocentrism relative to GH.     

Numerical and verbal decision analysis: comparison on practical cases

Numerical decision analysis (NDA), derived from statistical decision theory, is very well known. Verbal decision analysis (VDA), oriented towards so‐called unstructured problems, where the qualitative and uncertain factors dominate, is a newer direction in decision theory and practice. Verbal and numerical decision analyses (DAs) have been compared in an experimental setting, with groups of students. This paper presents the results of a comparison in the context of live practical tasks. Both approaches were attempted on two comparable choices, facing both Russian and US government agencies, involving a choice between oil and gas transportation options. The resulting methodological insights are generalized into a systematic comparison of the strong and weak features of each approach. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

情绪测量方法的新进展

当代情绪理论认为情绪反应包括生理唤醒、行为反应、面部行为或姿势、以及主观体验等成分。随着时代进步和科技发展,对其的测量也日趋细化,主要包括自我报告法、自主神经系统测量、惊跳反应测量、脑测量及行为测量等方法。大量情绪研究的证据表明,情绪反应的测量多是通过情绪维度（如效价、唤醒度）和基本情绪状态（如,悲伤、恐惧、愤怒）两种方式组织起来的,不同的情绪测量方法对不同的组织方式敏感。未来的情绪测量的标准是多元的,其测量方法的确立是以特定的情绪问题为基础的。     

职业枯竭的测量方法

职业枯竭领域研究使用的测量方法主要有两类：问卷测量法和客观测量法。问卷测量法又包括自陈问卷测量法和他评问卷测量法。常用的四种自陈问卷以及它们的使用情况和优缺点进行了重点评述。他评问卷法和客观测量法也简要地提及。从目前来看,自陈问卷测量法是枯竭领域的主导测量方法,并还将在很长的一段时间内保持这一地位     

A multi-criterion experimental comparison of three multi-attribute weight measurement methods

The research compared three major multi-attribute weight measurement methods using multiple criteria: theoretical validity, predictive performance, and perceived performance. Major findings include (1) all three methods are theoretically valid using the EAM (Equal Weight Averaging Model) as the standard of comparison, (2) EAM outperforms SMART (Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique) and SMART outperforms AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) in terms of predictive performance, (3) in terms of perceived performance, EAM is considered more difficult and less preferred than AHP, but has equal trustworthiness. The research has demonstrated how self-estimation methods for multi-attribute analysis can be verified and improved theoretically and empirically by using weights and values from the EAM model as a theoretical validity standard. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using a supervised machine learning algorithm for detecting faking good in a personality self‐report

We developed a supervised machine learning classifier to identify faking good by analyzing item response patterns of a Big Five personality self‐report. We used a between‐subject design, dividing participants (N = 548) into two groups and manipulated their faking behavior via instructions given prior to administering the self‐report. We implemented a simple classifier based on the Lie scale's cutoff score and several machine learning models fitted either to the personality scale scores or to the items response patterns. Results shown that the best machine learning classifier—based on the XGBoost algorithm and fitted to the item responses—was better at detecting faked profiles than the Lie scale classifier.     

性别身份的内涵及测量

性别身份是个体对于自身性别文化含义的理解,是个体自我概念的重要组成部分。在经典个性途径的研究传统下,性别身份模型从传统的单维度结构发展成将男性化和女性化分别作为两个独立维度的双维度结构,并产生了一种新的性别身份类型——“双性化”。随着性别身份研究的不断深入,性别身份的测量方法也从基于主观报告的经典量表测量,逐渐发展出了主客观结合导向、客观导向以及情境导向等新型测量思路。