On a metric,unidimensional unfolding model for attitudinal and developmental data

If stimulus responses are linearly related to squared distances between stimulus scale values and person scores along a latent continuum, (a) the stimulus × stimulus correlation matrix will display a simplex-like pattern, (b) the signs of first-order partial correlations can be specified in an empirically testable manner, and (c) the variables will have a semicircular, two-factor structure. Along the semicircle, variables will be ordered by their positions on the latent dimension. The above results suggest procedures for examining the appropriateness of the model and procedures for ordering the stimuli. Applications to developmental and attitudinal data are discussed. This research was supported by a grant from the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota to the author and by a grant from the U. S. Public Health Service (Grant No. 1-R01-MH27861-01) to Dr. James Rest, Principal Investigator.     

Exerting Self‐Control ≠ Sacrificing Pleasure

Self‐control is a prominent topic in consumer research, where it is often conceptualized as the abstinence from hedonic consumption. We examine whether this conceptualization accurately captures consumers’ experiences of self‐control conflicts/failures in light of seminal self‐control theories in economics and psychology. Rejecting that notion, we argue that self‐control failures are choices in violation of superordinate long‐term goals accompanied by anticipated regret, rather than choices of hedonic over utilitarian consumption. This conceptualization has important methodological, theoretical, and practical implications. Methodologically, it highlights the need for experimental paradigms with higher construct validity. Theoretically, it helps elucidate how self‐control is distinct from impatience and self‐regulation. Practically, it provides a rich set of implications for deducing interventions on the individual and public policy level to help consumers exert self‐control.     

Answer Sets and Qualitative Optimization

One of the major reasons for the success of answer set programmingin recent years was the shift from a theorem proving to a constraintprogramming view: problems are represented such that stablemodels, respectively answer sets, rather than theorems correspondto solutions. This shift in perspective proved extremely fruitfulin many areas. We believe that going one step further from a"hard" to a "soft" constraint programming paradigm, or, in otherwords, to a paradigm of qualitative optimization, will proveequally fruitful. In this paper we try to support this claimby showing that several generic problems in logic based problemsolving can be understood as qualitative optimization problems,and that these problems have simple and elegant formulationsgiven adequate optimization constructs in the knowledge representationlanguage.     

Effects of Participant’s Choice of Different Digital Interventions on Outcomes for Binge-Spectrum Eating Disorders: A Pilot Doubly Randomized Preference Trial

It is unclear whether offering individuals a choice between different digital intervention programs affects treatment outcomes. To generate initial insights, we conducted a pilot doubly randomized preference trial to test whether offering individuals with binge-spectrum eating disorder a choice between two digital interventions is causally linked with superior outcomes than random assignment to these interventions. Participants with recurrent binge eating were randomized to either a choice (n = 77) or no-choice (n = 78) group. Those in the choice group could choose one of the two digital programs, while those in the no-choice group were assigned a program at random. The two digital interventions (a broad and a focused program) took 4 weeks to complete, were based on cognitive-behavioral principles and have demonstrated comparable efficacy, but differ in scope, content, and targeted change mechanisms. Most participants (79%) allocated to the choice condition chose the broad program. While both groups experienced improvements in primary (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire global scores and number of binge eating episodes over the past month) and secondary outcomes (dietary restraint, body image concerns, etc.), no significant between-group differences were observed. The two groups did not differ on dropout rates, nor on most indices of intervention engagement. Findings provide preliminary insights towards the role of client preferences in digital mental health interventions for eating disorders. Client preferences may not determine outcomes when digital interventions are based on similar underlying principles, although larger trials are needed to confirm this.     

Multidimensional unfolding analyses of ranking data for groups

One probabilistic version of Coombs' unfolding model called the MMUR (Marginalization model for the Multidimensional Unfolding analysis of Ranking data) is extended to treat ranking data for groups. One favorable feature of the model is that it can both take into consideration individual differences without estimating the subject parameters and capture the differences between the groups in a systematic manner. Another advantage lies in the fact that one can see the group differences in the geometrical point configuration, since the model shows how the ideal points of the groups differ from each other in space. Four applications are provided which demonstrate that the model is useful for clarifying systematic differences in this type of data.     

A COMPARISON OF REINFORCER ASSESSMENT METHODS: THE UTILITY OF VERBAL AND PICTORIAL CHOICE PROCEDURES

We compared three methods of stimulus preference assessment for verbal children and specifically evaluated the utility of a verbal choice procedure for assessing relative reinforcer value. Using a token system, relative preference for five categories of reinforcers, representing 15 different stimuli, was assessed by three methods: a reinforcer survey, a verbal stimulus-choice questionnaire, and a pictorial stimulus-choice procedure. Results showed that the verbal and pictorial stimulus-choice assessments accurately identified high- and low-preference categories for 3 of 4 participants. Survey results alone often rated multiple categories as high preference, were less likely to identify low-preference categories, and were less likely to correspond with the results of a reinforcer assessment.     

Body image and size perceptions of Mexican American women

Purpose was to examine in Mexican American women the influences of age, weight, socioeconomic status and acculturation level on body image, perceptions of attractive and acceptable female shapes, and tolerance for overweight and obesity. Participants were 276 Mexican American women. Age, body mass index, socioeconomic status, and acculturation level were measured. The Figure Rating Scale was used to assess body image, preferences for body size, and perceptions of underweight to obese and acceptable body sizes. Significant effects for acculturation level and current weight were found. Women who were more Anglo oriented showed greater preference for thinner figures. As compared to normal weight women, obese women chose larger figures as ideal, realistic, attractive, and thinnest acceptable. Findings point to the impact of acculturation and obesity on body image and size perceptions. Health professionals working with Mexican Americans should consider each individual's current weight and level of acculturation.     

The relations between preferences for using abilities, self-estimated abilities, and measured abilities among career counseling clients

The present research investigated the relations among the declared preferred degree for using career-related abilities in one’s future career, self-estimates of these abilities, and measured abilities in a sample of 201 career-counseling clients. The highest correlations (range .57-.65) were found between the preferred degree for using an ability and the self-estimates of the ability. However, the direction of the gap between self-estimates and preferred degree of use varied among clients and among abilities. Clients also varied in the pattern of differences between their measured abilities and self-estimates, with 69% of the clients overestimating their abilities, while only 9% underestimated them. The hypothesis that self-estimate mediates the relation between one’s preference for using an ability and the respective measured ability was supported. The correlation between a client’s measured ability and preferred degree of use was higher among clients with a fairly accurate self-estimate than among those whose self-estimates were biased. Implications for research and counseling are discussed.     

Children’s developing views of social excluders: A dissociation between social evaluation and partner preference

When facing social exclusion, children seek to strengthen existing social connections and form new ones. This study asked whether they also make strategic choices about the targets of their affiliative goals. Three- to six-year-olds (N = 69; 36 female; mostly non-Hispanic White) observed characters acting inclusively or exclusively. All ages viewed excluders more negatively than includers, but only five- and six-year-olds preferred includers as play partners. Despite easily detecting and remembering exclusion events, younger children expressed no play partner preference. Children's verbal justifications revealed that older children choose partners more carefully and draw on a richer understanding of exclusion. More generally, the initial dissociation between social evaluation and preference formation underscores that these are distinct processes with different developmental trajectories.     

Textures that we like to touch: An experimental study of aesthetic preferences for tactile stimuli

We report two experiments designed to investigate the nature of aesthetic preferences for tactile textures in humans. In Experiment 1, the participants rated their preference for a range of actively and passively explored textures presented on their hands and on their cheeks. The results revealed that those textures that were subjectively-rated as smoother were preferred over those that were rated as rougher. Moreover, certain textures were disliked more during active than during passive stimulation. In Experiment 2, the speed of tactile stimulation was controlled in order to elicit vigorous responses from C-tactile fibers (present only in hairy skin), which are thought to play a central role in pleasant aspects of touch. The results revealed that textures were preferred when presented on the hairy skin of the forearm than on the glabrous palm of the hand. These results provide preliminary evidence regarding people’s preferences for different attributes of tactile surface.