Investigating the impact of violations of the “left and top means first” heuristic on response behavior and data quality

ABSTRACT

Web surveys are an established data collection mode that use written language to provide information. The written language is accompanied by visual elements, such as presentation formats and shapes. However, research has shown that visual elements influence response behavior because respondents sometimes use interpretive heuristics to make sense of the visual elements. One such heuristic is the ‘left and top means first’ (LTMF) heuristic, which suggests that respondents tend to believe that a response scale consistently runs from left to right or from top to bottom. We conducted a web survey experiment to investigate how violations of the LTMF heuristic affect response behavior and data quality. For this purpose, a random half of respondents received response options that followed a consistent order and the other half received response options that followed an inconsistent order. The results reveal significantly different response distributions between the two groups. We also found that inconsistently ordered response options significantly increase response times and decrease data quality in terms of criterion validity. We, therefore, recommend using options that follow the design strategies of the LTMF heuristic.     

Frequentist-Bayesian Monte Carlo testing

Abstract

Conventional methods for statistical hypothesis testing has historically been categorized as frequentist or Bayesian. But, a third option based on a reconciling hybrid frequentist-Bayesian framework is quickly emerging. Although prominent, there are applications where the exact hybrid test is not computable. For such cases, the present paper introduces a straightforward Monte Carlo procedure for performing frequentist-Bayesian testing.     

Screening for depression after cardiac events using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Geriatric Depression Scale

Despite findings that depression is a risk factor for heart disease and for death following cardiac events and that depressed cardiac patients experience significantly reduced quality of life and are less likely to follow treatment regimens, depression is neither adequately identified nor treated in cardiac patients. Recent calls in the literature for the use of standardized screening measures and sensitivity/specificity studies to identify useful measures compelled us to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and recommend appropriate cut-scores for identifying depression in post-myocardial infarction or unstable angina patients. A total of 119 patients who met criteria for either acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris were recruited from coronary care units at three hospitals and interviewed in their homes approximately 2 weeks post-admission. The criterion used in the study was the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders (SCID-I/NP). Administration of the SCID-I/NP, BDI-II, and GDS was counterbalanced using a digram-balanced approach and blinded comparison was used. Alphas were .89 for BDI-II and .88 for GDS. For major depression, a BDI-II cut-score of 10 produced a sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 75%, and PPV = 18% whereas a GDS cut-score of 14 produced sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 94%, and PPV = 50%. For major/double depression, a BDI-II cut-score of 10 produced sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 75%, and PPV = 21% whereas a GDS cut-score of 13 produced sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 91%, and PPV = 41%. Although both measures demonstrated excellent reliability and sensitivity, the GDS showed better specificity and PPV and is recommended as the better screen for major depression or double depression with cardiac patients.     

Using Task Clarification and Feedback Training to Improve Staff Performance in an East African Nongovernmental Organization

The present study used a multiple-baseline design to illustrate the effectiveness of an intervention package consisting of a multipurpose job aid and feedback training in improving the performance of supervisors and animal trainers in a nongovernmental organization headquartered in East Africa. Prior to the intervention, the performance of three supervisors and three animal trainers was suboptimal. Performance improved when supervisors were taught to use the job aid and provide feedback, and reached a high and consistent level during a subsequent phase, in which supervisors used the job aid independently. Limited maintenance and generalization data suggest that the intervention package produced lasting and generalized effects, and social validity data suggest that supervisors viewed the intervention as acceptable. These findings appear to be the first experimentally controlled demonstration of the potential value of organizational behavior management in improving performance in nongovernmental organizations working in resource-poor areas.     

论电子遗嘱的法律地位及其效力规则

我国现行《继承法》是1985年颁布实施的,因受到当时的科学技术水平以及立法者的前瞻性和当时物质生活水平等诸多因素的局限,故尚未对电子遗嘱的效力作出规定。在科学技术水平迅速发展、电子技术广泛运用的新时代,其调整能力的不足已经逐渐显现出来。立法应当跟上科技发展的步伐,因此,应当进一步完善遗嘱的形式,增加电子遗嘱的相关法律规定。     

Decision-Making with Heterogeneous Sources of Information

In any model the values of estimates for various parameters are obtained from different sources each with its own level of uncertainty. When the probability distributions of the estimates are obtained as opposed to point values only, the measurement uncertainties in the parameter estimates may be addressed. However, the sources used for obtaining the data and the models used to select appropriate distributions are of differing degrees of uncertainty. A hierarchy of different sources of uncertainty based upon one's ability to validate data and models empirically is presented. When model parameters are aggregated with different levels of the hierarchy represented, this implies distortion or degradation in the utility and validity of the models used. Means to identify and deal with such heterogeneous data sources are explored, and a number of approaches to addressing this problem is presented. One approach, using Range/Confidence Estimates coupled with an Information Value Analysis Process, is presented as an example.     

DEELS真实情绪量表的修订

随机调查1240名大学生、中小学教师和企业员工,对所得数据进行探索性、验证性因素分析,选择内部一致性系数作为信度指标、认知幸福感和简易应对方式作为效标变量,检验问卷的信效度。研究结果表明：（1）DEELS真实情绪量表包括14个描述情绪的词语,呈现清晰的两因素结构——正性情绪和负性情绪,Cronbachα值均大于0．75,而正性情绪和负性情绪的相关介乎-0．35～-0．32,具有跨样本的一致性;（2）认知幸福感、积极应对方式都与正性情绪呈显著正相关．与负性情绪呈显著负相关;（3）视频材料有效地诱发被试产生负性情绪,反映在自我报告的情绪强度和生理指标的变化上。因此,中文版的DEELS真实情绪量表适用于中国人群的情绪频率和强度测量。     

Subjective sexual arousal and involvement: Development of multiple indicators

Three measures of subjective sexual arousal were observed across four erotic conditions in a sample of 241 college men and women (a) to refine two multi‐item scales of subjective sexual arousal, (b) to determine the convergent and discriminant validity of three measures of sexual arousal, and (c) to relate these operational definitions of subjective sexual arousal to the construct of subjective sexual arousal within Mosher's (1980) involvement theory. From the perspective of involvement theory, subjective sexual arousal is conceived to be an affect‐cognition blend, consisting of awareness of physiological sexual arousal, sexual affects, and affect‐cognition blends, which is transmuted into consciousness and deepens involvement by amplifying the perception of sexual stimulation, sexual cognitions, sexual behavior, physiological sexual response, and itself. Evidence of convergent validity was strong with a median validity coefficient of .51 for the three measures across the four conditions.