An Optimized Design of Choice Experiments: A New Approach for Studying Decision Behavior in Choice Task Experiments

In this paper, we present a new approach for the optimal experimental design problem of generating diagnostic choice tasks, where the respondent's decision strategy can be unambiguously deduced from the observed choice. In this new approach, we applied a genetic algorithm that creates a one‐to‐one correspondence between a set of predefined decision strategies and the alternatives of the choice task; it also manipulates the characteristics of the choice tasks. In addition, this new approach takes into account the measurement errors that can occur when the preferences of the decision makers are being measured. The proposed genetic algorithm is capable of generating diagnostic choice tasks even when the search space of possible choice tasks is very large. As proof‐of‐concept, we used this novel approach to generate respondent‐specific choice tasks with either low or high context‐based complexity that we operationalize by the similarity of alternatives and the conflict between alternatives. We find in an experiment that an increase in the similarity of the alternatives and an increase in the number of conflicts within the choice task lead to an increased use of non‐compensatory strategies and a decreased use of compensatory decision strategies. In contrast, the size of the choice tasks, measured by the number of attributes and alternatives, only weakly influences the strategy selection. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Being engaged when resources are low: A multi-source study of selective optimization with compensation at work

This study examined self-regulation in the form of selective optimization with compensation (SOC) at work as a moderator of the relationships of job control (as a job resource) and feeling recovered and energized in the morning (as a personal energy resource) with self- and coworker-rated work engagement. SOC was hypothesized to offset low levels of job control and low levels of personal energy. Based on a sample of 405 public-service employees in Germany, including a multi-source subsample of 141 employees and their respective coworkers, the results showed that SOC use moderated the relationship between the level of personal energy and self-ratings as well as coworker ratings of work engagement such that SOC mitigated low levels of personal energy. SOC at work did not offset low job control. The results suggest that using SOC is particularly important when employees lack energy. SOC strategies should, therefore, be fostered by managers and organizations.     

A Multicriteria Decision‐Making Application to the Conceptual Design of Mechanical Components

Early design is crucial for the success of the final product. In the conceptual design phase, several constraints, criteria, objectives and disciplines have to be considered. To this aim, multidisciplinary optimization has proven effective for the solution of engineering design problems, even in the industrial every‐day practice, to improve and simplify the work of designers in a successful quest of the best compromise solution. In this paper, a multicriteria decision‐making (MCDM)‐based design platform for early optimal design of industrial components is proposed. In a group decision‐making context, the selection of the most suitable component among several possible layouts is performed by means of a group Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution approach. Hence, a multi‐objective optimization is performed on the selected component by applying a multi‐objective particle swarm optimization for finding optimal component dimensions. An industrial case study is presented for showing the efficiency of the multicriteria decision‐making‐based design platform, regarding an innovative and low‐cost solution to increase the duration of heel tips in women's shoes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Impact of Strategic Trajectory Optimization on Illusory Target Biases During Goal-Directed Aiming

During rapid aiming, movements are planned and executed to avoid worst-case outcomes that require time and energy to correct. As such, downward movements initially undershoot the target to avoid corrections against gravity. Illusory target context can also impact aiming bias. Here, the authors sought to determine how strategic biases mediate illusory biases. Participants aimed to Müller-Lyer figures in different directions (forward, backward, up, down). Downward biases emerged late in the movement and illusory biases emerged from peak velocity. The illusory effects were greater for downward movements at terminal endpoint. These results indicate that strategic biases interact with the limb-target control processes associated with illusory biases. Thus, multiple control processes during rapid aiming may combine and later affect endpoint accuracy (D. Elliott et al., 2010 Elliott, D., Hansen, S., Grierson, L. E. M., Lyons, J., Bennett, S. J., &; Hayes, S. J. (2010). Goal-directed aiming: two components but multiple processes. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 1023–1044.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]).     

Adaptation to Reversal of Retinal Feedback of Eyemovements

Both optical and hybrid-computer methods were devised to reverse the visual feedback which the eye gets of its own movements. Optical reversal by a contact lens device caused persisting, unstable, skittered, blurred vision, to which the subject made no effective adaptation. Using a hybrid analog-digital-analog computer, eyemovement-retinal feedback was reversed by yoking oscilloscope targets to the transduced electrical signals of ocular movements and reversing the sign of input-output control of the computer system. Vision with such computer-reversed feedback from ocular movements duplicated the experiences with the contact-lens method. Practice over five sessions of 50 trials indicated that three Ss showed no significant improvement in eye-tracking accuracy with the reversed vision. Perception of direction in vision and the basic signal processes of vision were thus found to be dependent on built-in direction specificity of eyemovement-retinal feedback interactions which also govern dynamic specialization and control of pursuit, saccadic, and fixation movements.     

Trade‐off ranking method for multi‐criteria decision analysis

Multi‐criteria decision analysis presumes trade‐off between different criteria. As a result, the optimal solution is not unique and can be represented by the Pareto frontier in the objective space. Each Pareto solution is a compromise between different objectives. Despite a limited number of Pareto optimal solutions, the decision‐maker eventually has to choose only one option. Such a choice has to be made with the use of additional preferences not included in the original formulation of the optimization problem. The paper represents a new approach to an automatic ranking that can help the decision‐maker. In contrast to the other methodologies, the proposed method is based on the minimization of trade‐off between different Pareto solutions. To be realized, the approach presumes the existence of a well‐distributed Pareto set representing the entire Pareto frontier. In the paper, such a set is generated with the use of the directed search domain algorithm. The method is applied to a number of test cases and compared against two existing alternative approaches.     

Methodology to select solutions for multiobjective optimization problems: Weighted stress function method

The weighted stress function method is proposed here as a new way of identifying the best solution from a set of nondominated solutions according to the decision maker's preferences, expressed in terms of weights. The method was tested using several benchmark problems from the literature, and the results obtained were compared with those of other methods, namely, the reference point evolutionary multiobjective optimization (EMO), the weighted Tchebycheff metric, and a goal programming method. The weighted stress function method can be seen to exhibit a more direct correspondence between the weights set by the decision maker and the final solutions obtained than the other methods tested.     

对骨折治疗“优化选择”与“合理选择”的理解和思考

从合理化角度回顾了当前几种重要的骨折治疗理论体系的发展与演变,认为骨折治疗的最优原则是一种理想状态,现实中没有绝对最优只有相对合理。只有建立以患者为中心的思维体系,加强医疗逻辑思维能力,用多维思考的方式寻找矛盾的合理平衡点,始终坚守医学伦理道德底线,才能真正做到为每一位骨折患者进行最合理的治疗。