Ethnocentrism,Social Contract Liberalism and Positivistic-Conservatism: Rorty's Three Theses on Politics

In this article I argue that Rorty has three separatearguments for liberalism. The pragmatic-ethnocentric argument for liberalism,as a system which works for `us liberals', is rejectedfor entailing relativism. The social contract argument results in an extreme formof individualism. This renders politics redundantbecause there is no need for the (liberal) state toprotect poetic individuals, who are capable ofdefending themselves. Even if the less able areharmed, the state could not prevent this, givenRorty's arguments about discursive enrichment withina language game. Finally, the positivistic-conservative argument legitimisesliberal politics by fiat, and makes normativediscussion about the status quo illegitimate. Herethe argument is that politics is a matter of reactivetechnical piecemeal problem-solving, to restore theharmony of the status quo. As politics deals with`facts', normative `problematisations' of thefunctional status quo are illegitimate (in the public/political sphere). So, either anything goes, andpolitics is redundant, or discussion of politics isdepoliticised and confined to the private sphere.Consequently, Rorty has no way to explore issues ofpower, or normative contestation. Therefore he isunable to address issues of social justice withinliberal democracies, such as feminist arguments aboutan ascribed gender status limiting equalityof opportunity.     

Stepwise variable selection in factor analysis

It is very important to choose appropriate variables to be analyzed in multivariate analysis when there are many observed variables such as those in a questionnaire. What is actually done in scale construction with factor analysis is nothing but variable selection.In this paper, we take several goodness-of-fit statistics as measures of variable selection and develop backward elimination and forward selection procedures in exploratory factor analysis. Once factor analysis is done for a certain numberp of observed variables (thep-variable model is labeled the current model), simple formulas for predicted fit measures such as chi-square, GFI, CFI, IFI and RMSEA, developed in the field of the structural equation modeling, are provided for all models obtained by adding an external variable (so that the number of variables isp + 1) and for those by deleting an internal variable (so that the number isp – 1), provided that the number of factors is held constant.A programSEFA (Stepwise variable selection in Exploratory Factor Analysis) is developed to actually obtain a list of the fit measures for all such models. The list is very useful in determining which variable should be dropped from the current model to improve the fit of the current model. It is also useful in finding a suitable variable that may be added to the current model. A model with more appropriate variables makes more stable inference in general.The criteria traditionally often used for variable selection is magnitude of communalities. This criteria gives a different choice of variables and does not improve fit of the model in most cases.The URL of the programSEFA is http://koko15.hus.osaka-u.ac.jp/~harada/factor/stepwise/.     

New approaches to the ‘crucial’ test of the causation and selection hypotheses in a Northern Irish sample

This paper examines the relationship between minority/majority status and psychological adjustment, as measured by the GHQ‐12. Rather than using religious labels in Northern Ireland to define minority/majority status, the authors hypothesized that such status is more contingent upon the local area context. Using a purer operationalization of minority/majority status, the authors found no evidence of an ‘ethnic density effect’. Implications for the questionable validity of the ‘crucial test’ of the selection and causation hypotheses are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于基尼指数的双目标CD-CAT选题策略

双目标CD-CAT的测验结果既可用于形成性评估也可用于终结性评估。基尼指数可度量随机变量的不确定性程度, 值越小则随机变量的不确定程度越低。本文用基尼指数度量被试知识状态类别以及能力估计置信区间后验概率的变化, 提出基于基尼指数的选题策略。Monte Carlo实验表明与已有的选题策略相比, 新策略的知识状态分类精度和能力估计精度都较高, 同时能有效兼顾题库利用均匀性, 并能快速实时响应, 且受认知诊断模型和被试知识状态分布的影响较小, 可用于实际测验中含多种认知诊断模型的混合题库。     

Is it enough to be willing to win or do you have to be smart? The relationship between competitive worldviews,cognitive abilities,and applicant faking in personality tests

Recent research has highlighted competitive worldviews as a key predictor of faking—the intentional distortion of answers by candidates in the selection context. According to theoretical assumptions, applicants’ abilities, and especially their cognitive abilities, should influence whether faking motivation, triggered by competitive worldviews, can be turned into successful faking behavior. Therefore, we examined the influence of competitive worldviews on faking in personality tests and investigated a possible moderation of this relationship by cognitive abilities in three independent high school and university student samples (N₁ = 133, N₂ = 137, N₃ = 268). Our data showed neither an influence of the two variables nor of their interaction on faking behavior. We discuss possible reasons for these findings and give suggestions for further research.     

Reducing online application redundancy: Effects on applicant attrition and quality

Job applications have long been a staple of the hiring process and online applications have rapidly become the new norm. The ability to examine applicant attrition—those who start the application but do not finish—and applicant quality are the two benefits of online applications. This study evaluates the effect of reducing application redundancy (not making applicants re‐enter information contained on their resumes) on applicant attrition and quality, with hypotheses derived from signaling theory and economics (cost/benefits). Results demonstrate that reducing redundancy leads to a reduction in applicant attrition across jobs, with the largest magnitude of change found in computer‐related jobs. This reduced attrition does not reduce applicant quality and some evidence suggests that applicant quality may even increase.     

文化演化的认知视角——从个体社会学习出发探究文化动态性

文化演化是多学科共同关心的文化研究主题。文化演化的认知视角是心理学家切入该研究主题的一种方式, 它着眼于社会文化环境中的个体认知, 研究个体在社会学习过程中对文化信息的加工、改变、记忆与提取。文化演化的认知视角借用达尔文生物演化理论, 涉及文化传承、创新、选择三个子领域, 提出了文化演化的三原则: 遗传、变异、选择。文化传承的路径包括模仿和教导, 类型分为工具性与习俗性文化传承; 文化创新具有层次性, 人类特有的累积性文化演化建立在文化创新的基础之上, 体现了文化创新的代际传递; 基于行为生态学和人类认知机制的文化选择造成了文化信息的差异化适应。未来研究可以从研究概念、研究思路、研究方法三方面推进认知视角下的文化演化研究, 探索更高层次的文化创新, 扩展文化演化的前因变量, 结合新技术加深对文化演化的理解; 发挥文化演化对文化心理学研究的助推作用, 研究文化混搭、个性心理特征对文化演化的影响。     

Assessment of mand selection for functional communication training packages

We evaluated the effects of training novel and existing mands during functional communication training (FCT) to decrease problem behavior for 2 children. A functional analysis (Phase 1) identified mands for FCT. Phase 2 used distinct stimulus conditions to train novel and existing mands. Phase 3 evaluated allocation of responding within a concurrent-schedules design. When reinforcement for either mand was concurrently available, the children used existing mands more than novel mands, but higher levels of problem behavior occurred with existing mands.     

"达尔文模块"与认知的"瑞士军刀"模型

本文在描述“达尔文模块”的基本特征以及进化心理学家对这种模块的理论辩护的基础上,论证了所谓达尔文模块并不是真实的心理模块;由达尔文模块所构造的认知的“瑞士军力”模型也不具有现实的合理性。     

Using Estimates of the Output Productivity Ratio (SDp) to Improve the Accuracy and Managerial Acceptance of Utility Analysis Estimates

This study compared nursing supervisors' percentile estimates (15th, 50th, and 85th) of staff nurse performance made in terms of dollar value and two alternative metrics—output (number of patients cared for) and staffing (number of nurses required to staff a unit). Of the three estimation procedures, nursing supervisors were most confident in the accuracy of their output-based estimates and least confident in the accuracy of their dollar value-based estimates. Estimates of the standard deviation of performance as a percentage of mean performance (SDp) ranged from 19% for the staffing-based estimate to 29% for the output-based estimate. Contrary to expectations, dollar value-based SDp estimates were only minimally correlated with staffing- and output-based SDp estimates. I conclude that allowing supervisors to make percentile estimates in terms of familiar metrics has potential value for improving the accuracy and managerial acceptability of utility analysis.