bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Development and Validation of an Assessment Instrument for Use with the Deaf Blind: The Severely Handicapped Progress Inventory
Authors: Dunlap William C.
Published: March 2007

This paper presents an assessment instrument specifically developed for use with deaf-blind persons. The instrument was designed to provide the assessment necessary for individual program planning and to measure progress. The 199-item progress inventory is organized in six major categories with 19 subsections. The statements are ordered according to degree of difficulty. The instrument has been field tested with a sample of 271 deaf-blind persons in six southeastern states.
Measuring Student's Perceptions of Teaching: Dimensions of Evaluation
Authors: Burdsal Charles A. , Bardo John W.
Published: March 2007

Results from application of the SPTE Questionnaire from 2,115 classes were factor analyzed to oblique simple structure. A first-order solution with six factors resulted: 1) Attitude Toward Students, (2) Work Load, (3) Course Value to Students, (4) Course Organization/Structure, (5) Grading Quality, and (6) Level of Material. Two second-order factors were also found. At the second-order, results showed that course difficulty was uncorrelated with other aspects of students' perceptions of teaching. Results are discussed in relation to broad concepts of teaching evaluation as well as methodological requirements of adequate assessment of teaching quality.
Calculating a Stepwise Ridge Regression
Authors: Morris John D.
Published: March 2007

Although methods for using ordinary least squares regression computer programs to calculate a ridge regression are available, the calculation of a stepwise ridge regression requires a special purpose algorithm and computer program. The correct stepwise ridge regression procedure is given, and a parallel computer program is described.
Item Analysis: A Short-Cut Statistic for Mastery Tests
Authors: Harris Deborah J. , Subkoviak Michael J.
Published: March 2007

This study examined three statistical methods for selecting items for mastery tests. One is the pretest-posttest method due to Cox and Vargas (1966); it is computationally simple, but has a number of serious limitations. The second is a latent trait method recommended by van der Linden (1981); it is computationally complex, but has a number of theoretical advantages. The third method, proposed herein, parallels the latent trait method in many respects; but it is computationally simple, like the pretest-posttest procedure. A number of distinct data sets were simulated; and the three item selection methods were applied to each data set for the purpose of studying relationships among the methods. The correlation between the latent trait method and the one proposed herein was substantial, suggesting that the latter might be recommended as a practical alternative to the former. The results for the pretest-posttest method tended to confirm its reputed limitations.
The Number of Factors in the 16PF: A Review of the Evidence with Special Emphasis on Methodological Problems
Authors: Cattell Raymond B. , Krug Samuel E.
Published: March 2007

Critics have occasionally asserted that the number of factors in the 16PF family of tests is too large and that a more parsimonious number of factors adequately explains human personality. This paper discusses areas of misunderstanding with regard to factor-analytic methodology that account for much of this disagreement. It then reviews more than 50 published studies concerned with the dimensionality of the 16PF series of personality instruments. The conclusion is reached that the number of important primaries encapsulated in the 16PF series is no fewer than the stated number. That conclusion is bolstered by new evidence presented that is based on the independent, statistical logic of the maximum likelihood test.
SELECT: A Pascal Program for Easy Data Manipulation
Authors: Kingma Johannes , Reuvekamp Johan
Published: March 2007

This paper describes a PASCAL microcomputer program for data manipulation of big data files that exceeds the limits of statistical packages on the microcomputer. The program can be used to make a selection of a set of variables from a big master file, so that the statistical packages can handle the number of variables. Another application of the program is the rearrangement of the order of variables in a data file. The program is usable on many microcomputers and larger systems.
The G Coefficient and its Relation to R-Type Factor Analysis
Authors: Davenport Ernest C.
Published: March 2007

The G coefficient is proven to be an inaccurate indicator of latent relations and, therefore, unacceptable as a measure of association when used in R-type factor analysis. On the other hand, the G coefficient is useful in measuring another type of relation, the simple agreement of scores for a pair of items. If one thinks of the scores for each item as a vector, the G coefficient is functionally related to the Euclidean distance between the endpoints of the two vectors.
Detecting Treatment Effects in Educational Research
Authors: Keselman Joanne C. , Keselman H. J.
Published: March 2007

The power to detect main and interaction effects in a factorial design was determined when the Bonferroni method was used to control the overall rate of Type I error at a conventional five percent level. For sample sizes typical of educational research, the power of this procedure is shown to be considerably less than that of recommended standards. Alternative applications of the Bonfer-roni procedure are illustrated and discussed.
Bootstrap and Traditional Standard Errors of the Point-Biserial
Authors: Harris Deborah J. , Kolen Michael J.
Published: March 2007

Because of the wide usage of the point-biserial, three methods of estimating the point-biserial correlation coefficient standard errors that involved (a) assuming normality, (b) not assuming normality, and (c) bootstrapping were compared. The findings suggest that the point-biserial standard errors estimated assuming normality are biased, with the direction of bias depending on item difficulty. However, the normal standard error estimates are less variable and much easier to compute than are the other two estimates. In practice, therefore, use of the normal standard errors might be warranted, despite the suspected untenability of the normality assumption.
The Relative Usefulness of Multiple Measures for Differentiating among Groups of People
Authors: Baggaley Andrew R.
Published: March 2007

An index is suggested that measures the change in Wilks' lambda that occurs when a variable is removed from a complete set that is purported to differentiate among groups.
Attitudes toward Mainstreaming Scale: Factorial Validity for a Lay Population
Authors: Berryman Joan D.
Published: March 2007

The factorial validity of the Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming Scale was supported for a general adult population. A principal components factoring procedure identified four factors: Classroom Functioning, Learning Capability I, Learning Capability II, and General Mainstreaming. Coefficients of internal consistency ranged from .82 to .90. Intercorrelations between factors ranged from .41 to .62. Results were compared to the factor structures previously identified for preservice and inservice teachers.
Factor Analysis of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale in an Adolescent Sample
Authors: Hoffman Richard G. , Davis Gary L. , Nelson Kathleen S.
Published: March 2007

The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) was individually administered to 905 juvenile offenders and their responses subjected to factor analysis in an attempt to verify the multidimensional factor structure of the self upon which the TSCS is based (Fitts, 1965). There was no evidence to support a multifactorial internal structure for the TSCS in this population. A single factor which accounted for the majority of the variance was supported, consistent with previous studies in other age groups. The use of the standard interpretive guidelines offered in the TSCS manual does not appear to be warranted for this population, although the total positive score may be interpretable as an index of overall level of self-esteem.
The Spheres of Control Scale: An Attempt at Cross-Cultural Validation
Authors: Watkins David , Alfon Menchu
Published: March 2007

The Spheres of Control (SOC) scale is judged to be culturally appropriate for Filipino subjects. However, an investigation with 198 freshmen Psychology students of a major Filipino university, indicated that the current SOC scale may not be adequate for use with such subjects. In particular, doubt was cast over the internal consistency of the scales and the underlying factor structure.
A Test-Scoring/Item Analysis SAS Program for the IBM Mainframe
Authors: Leblanc William G. , Syren Robert M.
Published: March 2007

This paper presents an item analysis program written in SAS that can be implemented in a central computing facility to provide test scoring support in an academic environment.
The Predictive Validity of the Florida College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) for Predicting Grade Point Average with University Seniors and Recent Graduates
Authors: Camp Joseph , Drummond Robert , Carter Travis , Parker W. M.
Published: March 2007

This study was concerned with a determination of the predictive validity of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) for predicting grade point average among university seniors, and recent graduates. The criterion variable was grade point average (GPA); subjects were 732 seniors, and recent graduates enrolled 1984-1987 at a regional university. It was determined that the moderate correlations with GPA, (i.e., math .290, reading .345, writing .357, and essay .333) suggested that the content (i.e., items) of the CLAST may not be critical to success (i.e., GPA) in the sample studied.
Assessing Managerial Skills with the "Management Effectiveness Profile System"
Authors: Cooke Robert A.
Published: March 2007

The Management Effectiveness Profile System (MEPS) provides managers with feedback on fifteen different task skills (e.g., decision making, planning), people skills (e.g., managing conflict, developing subordinates), and personal factors (e.g., time management, commitment level) hypothesized to be related to their overall job performance. Self-descriptions are profiled against descriptions by others along the 90 items comprising the instrument as well as the fifteen categories. Data on 404 managers who recently received such feedback were used to assess the reliability and validity of the Profile System. The results indicate that the internal consistency reliability of the scales is fairly high, though many of the items correlate with other scales almost as strongly as they do with their own. Inter-rater agreement among the other people describing each manager is acceptable and, for many scales, is greater than the agreement between the others' and the managers' own reports. The criterion-related validity of the instrument is supported by a small but significant relation between the task skills and personal factors and an independent measure of the managers' effectiveness. It is concluded that the instrument is useful for identifying relevant areas for self-development, but that managers should focus on item-level as well as scale results and should be sensitive to discrepancies between their self reports and the descriptions by others.
The Spelling Component Test: Psychometric Evaluation and Norms
Authors: Coren Stanley
Published: March 2007

The Spelling Component Test, which is a timed assessment of spelling ability using a format in which subjects fill in the missing letters in words frequently misspelled by university students, is described. In Study 1, the test was administered to 386 university students along with 12 other measures of cognitive ability. A factor analysis revealed that the test is a valid measure of crystallized intelligence. Study 2 presents norms based upon 702 undergraduates. The test appears to have high reliability. A gender difference favoring females appears to be present. The full test and scoring key are included in an appendix.
A Study of the Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Psychological Screening Inventory for Adolescent Inpatients
Authors: Boswell Donald L. , Tarver Phoebe , Simoneaux John
Published: March 2007

A sample of 43 adolescent inpatients of a state psychiatric hospital were administered the Psychological Screening Inventory (PSI). In order to assess the convergent validity of the PSI, clinician ratings and subscale scores of the MMPI were correlated with the sub-scale scores of the PSI. Divergent validity was assessed by correlating grade level scores of the WRAT-R and Weschler IQ scores with subscale scores of the PSI. Results were mixed. Support was found for convergence with the MMPI and divergence with the WRAT-R. Convergence with clinician's ratings was found for only one subscale of the PSI. Correlations between IQ scores and PSI subscale scores were unexpectedly significant. Results are discussed and further research to validate the PSI for use with adolescents is suggested.
The Concurrent Validity of the Dimensions of Self-Concept (DOSC), Level E
Authors: Freeman John G. , Hutchinson Nancy L.
Published: March 2007

The present study examines the concurrent validity of the Dimensions of Self-Concept (DOSC), Level E, with Canadian students in grades 4 to 6.
Accuracy of Item Performance Predictions Based on the Nedelsky Standard Setting Method
Authors: Melican Gerald J. , Mills Craig N. , Plake Barbara S.
Published: March 2007

The Nedelsky standard setting procedure utilizes an option elimination strategy to estimate the probability that a minimally competent candidate (MCC) will answer a multiple-choice item correctly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of predicted item performance from the Nedelsky ratings. The results indicate that test taking behavior of MCCs does not match the underlying Nedelsky assumption that MCCs randomly guess among the options judges believe should be attractive. Further, the accuracy of predicted item performance appears to vary as a function of item difficulty and content domain. However, an analysis of the relationship between judges' rating of distractor difficulty and proportion of examinees selecting item distractors indicated that useful information about examinee item performance is obtainable from Nedelsky-based judgments.
An Attitude Inventory for Research-Based Effective Teaching Behaviors
Authors: Marchant Gregory J. , Bowers Norman D.
Published: March 2007

The Teaching Behaviors Questionnaire (TBQ) was developed to inventory attitudes regarding research-based effective teaching behaviors. The instrument was pilot tested and used in two studies. A sample (N=500) containing teachers, principals, college education faculty members, and undergraduate education students displayed a normal distribution, and yielded an alpha of .76. Significant differences were established in both studies using the instrument. The instrument holds promise as the basis for further research, as well as a tool for program development for pre- and post-service teachers. The TBQ provides teachers and student teachers with insight concerning their beliefs regarding effective teaching behaviors. The instrument holds potential for contributing to selection and screening efforts for teacher and principal candidates.
An Evaluation of Allport's Religious Orientation Scale Across One Australian and Two United States Samples
Authors: Leong Frederick T. L. , Zachar Peter
Published: March 2007

A psychometric evaluation of the Religious Orientation Scale is reported in order to address a flaw in the existing literature. Presented are the results of a factor analysis for two samples of United States students and one sample of Australian students. Also included are internal-consistency indices for the factored scales, and Spearman-Brown projections for scale reliabilities if additional items were to be added to the scales. It is suggested that five items be dropped, and one External (E) item be shifted to the Internal (I) scale. Additional comments point to the apparent existence of two components of the E construct, leading to the recommendation that the E construct be separated into two different scales.
Nonmetric Multidimensional Item Analysis in the Construction of an Anxiety Attitude Survey
Authors: Roth Wolff-Michael , Roychoudhury Anita
Published: March 2007

The present study addresses some of the problems of traditional item analysis during the construction of attitude instruments by using a convergent analysis of three metric and nonmetric multivariate techniques for item analysis. Employing data from a recent administration of a science anxiety questionnaire, the use of maximum likelihood factor analysis followed by oblique rotations, multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis is shown. A high reliable instrument with equally reliable subscales is developed in the process. The reliability of the instrument and its subscales lie between .88 and .92.
Response-Order Effects in Likert-Type Scales
Authors: Chan Jason C.
Published: March 2007

The present study argued that the meaning of verbal labels of a Likert-type response scale was affected by the presentation order of the scale labels. It was proposed that subjects tended to choose the first alternative acceptable to them from among the ordered response categories so that a primacy effect was predicted. Findings supported the hypothesis. In addition, this response-order effect interfered with the threshold values, with factor structures estimated by factor analysis based on polychoric correlations, and with the item and person parameters estimated by the graded response model. Practical implications of the response-order effects were discussed.
The Equivalence of Cohen's Kappa and Pearson's Chi-Square Statistics in the 2 × 2 Table
Authors: Feingold Marcia
Published: March 2007

With two judges and a two-point rating scale, the test statistic for Kappa is the same as Pearson's chi-square statistic applied to the 2 × 2 table of paired observations. This equivalence allows a quick test of the null hypothesis of no agreement, as Pearson's chisquare statistic is much less cumbersome to compute than the Kappa statistic and its variance. A simple formula for the null hypothesis variance is also derived.
A Basic Program for Calculating Scale Values Using Four Unidimensional Scaling Methods in Random Subsamples
Authors: Molina Jesus G. , Melia Jose L. , Sanmartin Jaime
Published: March 2007

This MS BASIC program calculates and stores for further analysis scale values obtained from random subsamples using four unidimensional scaling methods: Dunn-Rankin's variance stable rank sums, Thurstone's case V (paired comparisons), Thurstone-Chave's IAI, and Green's successive categories.
A Factor Analytic Study of the Infant-Toddler and Early Childhood Versions of the Home Inventory
Authors: Mundfrom Daniel J. , Bradley Robert H. , Whiteside Leanne
Published: March 2007

Over the past 40 years research has clearly established a link between children's experiences in their home environment and their health and behavioral development to the point that it has become common to include measures of the home environment in investigations of human development as well as in clinical follow-ups. This study examines the underlying characteristics of the home environment as measured by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory at two different time points in the children's development-12 and 36 months-using a birth cohort of 985 preterm, low birth weight infants from the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP). Separate maximum likelihood factor analyses were performed on the items of the Infant/Toddler (IT-HOME) and the Early Childhood (EC-HOME) versions of HOME and the resulting factors were rotated using the varimax criterion. The rotated factor structures are in agreement with the identified subscales of these two versions of HOME. In addition, the factor structures of the two versions are so similar that they appear to be measuring the same environmental dimensions at two different developmental periods.
A Fortran 77 Program for Determining the Minimum Significant Increase of the Multiple Correlation Coefficient
Authors: Silver N. Clayton , Finger Michael S.
Published: March 2007

A FORTRAN 77 program is presented which computes the minimum multiple correlation coefficient needed for significance when another predictor is added, and the Wherry (1940) and Olkin and Pratt (1958) corrections for shrinkage.
A Generalization of James'S Second-Order Approximation to the Test for Regression Slope Equality
Authors: Deshon Richard P. , Alexander Ralph A.
Published: March 2007

James's second-order approximation for testing the equality of k independent means under heterogeneity of variance may be adapted to the test for the equality of k independent regression slopes under heterogeneity of error variance. The performance of the approximation is evaluated and program availability is discussed.
First-Order and Higher-Order Semantic and Figural Factors in Structure-Of-Intellect Divergent Production Measures
Authors: Bachelor Patricia , Michael William B. , Kim Simon
Published: March 2007

This investigation consists of several reanalyses of two correlation matrices comprising 21 structure-of-intellect (SOI) divergent production tests taken from the 1963 Report No. 29 of the University of Southern California Aptitudes Research Project. Application of updated exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic methodologies led to the conclusion that the results obtained could not be replicated. It appeared from the confirmatory factor analyses that a higher-order two-factor oblique model of semantic and symbolic contents furnished as adequate or nearly as adequate an explanation of the covariance among test variables as did more complex models involving several factors.
Validating Research Results when Cronbach'S Alpha is Below .70: A Methodological Procedure
Authors: Bernardi Richard A.
Published: March 2007

The study involved 494 auditors from five Big Six accounting firms. Although two of the cognitive tests used in the research had Cronbach's alphas in the .70 to .90 range, the Defining Issues Test had an alpha of .35. This research investigated the relationship between cognitive test elements and the sample to determine the causes of the low alpha. The procedure described in the research is a method that can be used to validate research data when Cronbach's alpha is below .70. The research findings indicate that unbundling both the test and the sample provide statistically sound justification for continuing to use all research data for a highly homogeneous sample.
Interjudge Reliability and Decision Reproducibility
Authors: Lunz Mary E. , Stahl John A. , Wright Benjamin D.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of decision reproducibility for performance assessments. When decisions from two judges about a student's performance using comparable tasks correlate, decisions have been considered reproducible. However, when judges differ in expectations and tasks differ in difficulty, decisions may not be independent of the particular judges or tasks encountered unless appropriate adjustments for the observable differences are made. In this study, data were analyzed with the Facets model and provided evidence that judges grade differently, whether or not the scores given correlate well. This outcome suggests that adjustments for differences among judge severities should be made before student measures are estimated to produce reproducible decisions for certification, achievement, or promotion.
Predictive Validity and Time Dependency of Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, Personal Goals, and Academic Performance
Authors: Mone Mark A. , Baker Douglas D. , Jeffries Frank
Published: March 2007

This article seeks to clarify some conceptual and empirical ambiguities regarding self-efficacy and self-esteem in the educational, psychological, and organizational literatures. The validity of self-efficacy versus self-esteem for predicting personal goals and performance and the subsequent reciprocal effects of personal goals and performance on self-efficacy and self-esteem were investigated. Also examined were the distal and proximal measures of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and personal goals in relation to performance because their conceptual meaning and predictive validity may vary depending on measurement timing. Across three performance trials (academic course exams), self efficacy had greater predictive validity than self-esteem for and was more affected by personal goals and performance. However, the lead and lag measurement times produced no significant differences. Theoretical and practical implications of differential predictive validity and measurement timing are discussed.
The Prediction of Ego Integrity in Older Persons
Authors: Hannah Mo Therese , Domino George , Figueredo A. J. , Hendrickson Rick
Published: March 2007

This study examined the extent to which the resolution of the Eriksonian final stage-related crisis of ego integrity versus despair is predicted by the resolution of earlier stage-related crises and by non-Eriksonian personality constructs. Subjects were administered an Eriksonian life stage measure called the Inventory of Psychosocial Balance, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Purpose-in-Life Scale, and the Self-Realization Scale. A series of alternative and hierarchically nested regression models was run to assess the direct effects of all preceding Eriksonian life stages and the non-Eriksonian personality measures on the final stage of ego integrity. The results were consistent with Eriksonian theory, which states that personality development is a continuous process in which psychosocial growth during earlier phases of life is a prerequisite for the resolution of later developmental conflicts.
Multitrait-Multimethod/Multiform Evidence for the Validity of Reporting Units in National Assessments in Science at Age 14 in England and Wales
Authors: Massey A. J.
Published: March 2007

This study reports a multitrait-multimethod analysis of evidence relating to the validity of reporting on subdomains in science from national tests at age 14 in England and Wales in 1993. The data support the policy decision to report only a single test level. A similar analysis (multitrait-multiform) is also described, which may make this approach feasible in a wider range of operational testing contexts and which confirmed the conclusions reached.
A Multimethod Analysis of Risk Perceptions and Health Behaviors in Children
Authors: Tinsley Barbara J. , Holtgrave David R. , Erdley Cynthia A. , Reise Steven P.
Published: March 2007

Child and adolescent risky behavior rank high as causes of negative health outcomes for contemporary youths. The main focus of the present investigation was to examine the congruence (convergent validity) among several methods (e.g., self, peer, teacher) of assessing youths' risk propensity and to explore the relation of these measures to self-reported frequency of risky health behavior in a sample of 436 children in elementary and junior high school. Findings indicated low degrees of congruence between the rater sources in their assessments of target subject riskiness. There was a tendency, however, for peers and teachers to agree with each other more than either agreed with self-reports. In addition, several interesting developmental patterns in children's risk perceptions were revealed. Specifically, the efficacy of the various measures' ability to predict risk-taking criterion measures varied depending on whether a risky or preventive behavior was being assessed and on the grade level of the target subject. Theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.
Generalizability Analysis for Performance Assessments of Student Achievement or School Effectiveness
Authors: Cronbach Lee J. , Linn Robert L. , Brennan Robert L. , Haertel Edward H.
Published: March 2007

Evidence of the uncertainty attached to school and individual scores is required to avoid over interpretation of results. Generalizability analysis provides in the standard error a suitable indicator of uncertainty. Assessments depart from traditional measurements in ways that require extensions and re interpretatons of generalizability analysis. The authors find, for example, that in many analyses the variance component interpreted as Pupil x Task interaction actually arises in part from instability in pupil performance. It is necessary to recognize in the school-level analysis that pupils are nested in classes and schools. Whether to treat the population of a school's pupils as infinite or as limited to the student body assessed also requires careful consideration.
Assessing Student Perceptions of Affective Outcomes of Special Education Programs: Instrument Development, Validation, and Comparisons to Regular Education Students
Authors: Gable Robert K. , Rucker Chauncy N. , Smith Everett V.
Published: March 2007

The development of the 45-item likert-type response scale Student Survey for assessing the following five affective goals of Connecticut's Common Core of Learning is described: Academic Competence, Social Competence, Social Integration, Involvement in Educational Decision Making, and Consumer Satisfaction. Content validity literature-based and judgmental procedures are described; supportive evidence of construct validity is provided using a sample of 436 special education students (Grades 4, 6, and 8) from eight school districts who were eligible to take the statewide Connecticut Mastery Test. These data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory techniques. Alpha reliabilities for the special education sample ranged from .70 to .91 for the five dimensions. Differences between special education students and a sample of 1,229 regular education students from the same districts are described.
Dependability of Anchoring Labels of Likert-Type Scales
Authors: Chang Lei
Published: March 2007

Generalizability theory was used to examine the dependability of anchoring labels of Likert-type scales. Variance components associated with labeling were estimated in two samples using a two-facet, random effects g-study design. In one sample, 173 graduate students in education were administered seven items measuring attitudes toward quantitative methodology. The other sample consisted of 108 graduate students in education who responded to the eight-item Life Orientation Test. From both samples, variance components associated with labeling were found to be minute, contributing little to the observed score variance. One plausible explanation was that respondents could primarily be using the numerical information in rating a Likert-type scale.
The Career Success Expectations Scale: An Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Authors: Stephens Gregory K. , Szajna Bernadeyte , Broome Kirk M.
Published: March 2007

In the present study, the development of the Career Success Expectations Scale (CSES), and its application to two different significant career transitions, is described. Two independent samples (161 managers in expatriate work assignments and 103 managers obtaining an MBA degree) were employed in conducting, first, an exploratory (orthogonal and oblique rotations) analysis, and second, a confirmatory analysis of the factor structure of the instrument. The three-factor structure that emerged in the exploratory factor analysis was confirmed with structural equation modeling techniques in the second phase of the study.
Scale Invariance from a Three-Dimensional Graphical Perspective: Visualizing an Eigenvector
Authors: Ludlow Larry H.
Published: March 2007

This article reports on one aspect of a multifaceted inquiry into the attitudes and anxieties prospective elementary school teachers may have toward teaching mathematics. At the beginning, midterm, and end of one semester, student teachers were asked to respond to an Attitudes Towards Mathematics and Its Teaching (ATMAT) Scale. The Rasch model of item-response theory was employed to estimate the difficulty level of the ATMAT items at the three different time periods. This article addresses the invariant characteristics of the scale. In addition to standard approaches taken to determine the extent to which the scale remained invariant over time, various three-dimensional graphical analyses were undertaken. These latter analyses portrayed scale invariance in ways not possible through static numerical summaries. One noteworthy consequence, in particular, highlights the pedagogical significance of these analyses: the graphical representation of an eigenvector.
Tests of Independence for Ordinal Data Using Bootstrap
Authors: Chan Wai , Yung Yiu-Fai , Bentler Peter M. , Tang Man-Lai
Published: March 2007

In a two-way cross table, the association between two ordinal variables can be assessed by different measures such as Goodman and Kruskal's gamma (y) and Kendall's tau-b (tb). When sample size is large, the independence hypothesis between the row and the column variables can be tested by the traditional asymptotic test (TAT). TAT, however, fails to work satisfactorily when sample size is small because the theoretical distribution of the test statistic may only hold asymptotically. In this study, two bootstrap-based tests (BBTs) are proposed for testing the independence hypothesis. Monte Carlo studies are used to compare the TAT with the BBTs at small to moderate sample sizes. The BBTs are superior to the TAT in two aspects: The control of Type I error rate by the BBTs is more accurate, and the BBTs are more powerful because they are more likely than the TAT to reject false null hypotheses.
Reliability of Performance on the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) by an Adolescent Learning Disability Sample
Authors: Reynolds Cecil R.
Published: March 2007

The Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) is a recent comprehensive memory battery offered to neuropsychologists and standardized on a national sample of children ages 5 years through 19 years. The TOMAL Manual reports very high coefficient alpha internal consistency reliability coefficients for the standardization sample of "normal" children. In the current study, 99 adolescents (ages 12 to 18 years) diagnosed with various learning disabilities in the public schools were administered the TOMAL, and Cronbach's alpha was calculated based on the responses of these 99 adolescents. A matched sample was drawn from the standardization sample and alpha computed for this group. Alpha values in the two groups were highly similar across all 14 subtests. Although adolescents with learning disabilities often have memory deficits, their performance on the TOMAL tends to be as reliable as that of adolescents without learning disabilities.
Measuring Change Conventionally and Adaptively
Authors: May Kim , Nicewander W. Alan
Published: March 2007

The ordinary difference or gain score is known generally to be unreliable. However, it is not widely known that when a difference score is used to measure change, the difficulty of the pretest can bias the amount of gain observed in groups that differ in initial achievement. This type of bias we call scale distortion. Using item response theory, one may compute gain scores based on differences in estimated Os (the latent trait being measured). The principal focus of the present inquiry was the degree to which scale distortion in the ordinary difference score could be removed by using differences based on estimated Os in either conventional or adaptive testing situations. Conventional tests that use these 0-based gains are shown to remove much of the scale distortion inherent in ordinary difference scores. Adaptive tests using estimated Os also offer substantial improvement in reflecting actual changes in latent proficiency.
An Analytic Procedure to Estimate the Benefits of a Particular Type of Personnel Classification Decision
Authors: De Corte Wilfried
Published: March 2007

The article presents an analytic procedure to estimate the expected benefits of personnel classification decisions for which it is assumed that the available criterion estimates are both equi-correlated and equally valid, that equal quotas have to be filled for the jobs, and that all jobs are equally important. The method outperforms some already existing procedures in that an exact benefit estimate is obtained even when the criterion estimates correlate substantially. To perform the estimation, an efficient numerical procedure is developed and subsequently applied to study the effect of the number of assignment categories, the applicant rejection rate, the validity of the criterion estimates, and the intercorrelation among the estimates. Among other things, the results indicate that the expected benefits of a classification decision are considerably higher than those obtained for the corresponding selection decision, even when the criterion estimates correlate substantially.
A Construct Validity Investigation of Scores on a Japanese Version of an Academic Self-Concept Scale for Secondary School Students
Authors: Paik Chie , Michael William B.
Published: March 2007

For a sample of 354 students taken from two highly similar college preparatory, girls-only Catholic high schools in Japan, the twofold purpose of this study was to obtain evidence of the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of scores on each of five dimensions of a Japanese version of an academic self-concept measure titled Dimensions of Self-Concept (DOSC), Form S, Japanese version. Internal consistency estimates of reliability of scores on the five 14-item subscales varied between .71 and .84, with a median value of .77. From each of the five factor subscales, three subtests each comprising four or five items were formed, scored, and intercorrelated (15 subtests in all). Confirmatory maximum-likelihood factor analyses for several alternative factor models indicated that a five-factor oblique model accounted for the greatest proportion of covariance in the matrix of 15 subtests.
Dimensions of Urban Environmental Quality
Authors: Carp Frances M. , Zawadski Rick T. , Shokrkon Hossein
Published: March 2007

For purposes of planning and for impact studies, definition of environmental quality and instruments for its measurement are badly needed. Efforts in this area have largely been subjective, have depended upon expert judgment, and have been concerned with specific, isolated aspects of environmental quality rather than being directed to description of the domain in terms of its major dimensions. This study used the responses of 2,541 residents of the San Francisco Bay Area to items developed largely from open-ended questions asked of persons in that and another metropolitan area, and subjected them to the objective method of factor analysis to provide an empirical description of environmental quality in reference to residential use.

The study produced 20 clean and meaningful factors which provide, from the viewpoint of residents, a more finely differentiated definition of environmental quality than has previously been available. The data collection instrument, with minor modifications, can serve as an instrument to measure residential environmental quality and will be useful to planners and in evaluative studies of a variety of environmental interventions. The methodology can be used to further refine the definition and measurement of environmental quality for residential purposes and should prove equally useful in regard to environmental quality in relation to other land uses.
Management
Authors: Ahlbrandt Roger S. , Brophy Paul C.
Published: March 2007

Management practices and policies have recently been recognized as an important part of the housing environment, particularly in federally assisted housing. The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the dimensions of the relationship between tenant satisfaction with the housing environment and management behaviors and attitudes. Tenant satisfaction is shown to consist of dimensions concerned with neighbors, neighborhood services, the physical unit, security, neighborhood cleanliness, and management. Management is shown to be the most important of these dimensions in explaining tenant satisfaction. Tenant satisfaction with management is shown to consist of four dimensions: maintenance, empathy, responsiveness, and strictness. Tenant satisfaction with maintenance is the most important of these variables in explaining tenant satisfaction with management. Tenant satisfaction with maintenance, however, is not related so much to the amount of money spent as it is to the response time of management toward tenant requests.
Environmental Pollution Control
Authors: Althoff Phillip , Greig William H.
Published: March 2007

This study explores the opinions of a random sample of the general population of the state of Kansas concerning the environmental pollution controversy. Five clusters—environmental concern, governmental trust, industrial trust, environmental protector, and personal commitment—are formulated from the data and are utilized as the basis for the discussion of findings. It was discovered that the respondents were concerned about the environmental issue, were not particularly trusting of governmental and industrial efforts to solve the pollution problem, were only somewhat dedicated to environmental protection, and were relatively committed personally to aid in solving the pollution problem.
Personality, Outdoor Recreation, and Expected Consequences
Authors: Driver B. L. , Knopf Richard C.
Published: March 2007

Results of exploratory research on relationships between personality characteristics (measured by Jackson's Personality Research Form), choice of recreation activities engaged in actively, frequency of participation in those activities, and the desired consequences (i.e., satisfying experiences) expected from that participation are reported. Ss were test groups of 50 recreationists per activity engaging in one of nine different activities when interviewed on-site. Ss were classified by sex into active and nonactive participants in each of the activities. Participation was measured using respondents' recall of total days of having engaged at least once in specified activities during the preceding 12 months. The results are tentative because of small sample sizes. The indicate that (1) personality probably influences the choice of a recreation activity in which a person engages the most frequently (direct associations were weak, and further research is needed), (2) personality characteristics are significantly related to the amount of participation in a preferred activity once that choice has been made, (3) the personality profile of both male and female active recreationists differs from national norms, and (4) personality disposition influences the relative importance of different consequences that are desired and expected from specific activities.
Natural Disaster
Authors: Hanson Susan , Vitek John D. , Hanson Perry O.
Published: March 2007

This paper assesses the impact of the destructive 1953 Flint tornado upon the people currently living in the community that was destroyed. Personal interviews conducted with people now residing along the path of the 1953 tornado revealed that one's age and length of residence in the immediate area influenced one's awareness of the Flint disaster. A person's level of awareness of the 1953 Flint tornado was found to have a significant impact on the nature of the individual's long- and short-range response to the tornado threat. Those who were well aware of the violent 1953 tornado were more likely than those who were unaware of that storm to take appropriate precautions when a tornado warning was issued. Moreover, the level of awareness of this past event was found to be more important than having experienced a tornado in determining whether or not a person now responds appropriately to a tornado warning.
The Soft Classroom
Authors: Sommer Robert , Olsen Helge
Published: March 2007

Most college students and faculty regard their classrooms as drab, sterile, and institutional. A traditional classroom was converted into a softer more aesthetically pleasing room. Student attitudes toward the new room were favorable, and there was an increase in classroom participation, including student-student discussion.
The Perception of Traversed Distance
Authors: Sadalla Edward K. , Staplin Lorin J.
Published: March 2007

Two experiments were performed to assess the effects of intersections on distance cognition in the urban environment. A laboratory study examined estimated traversed distance as a function of the number of intersections along linear pathways. A field study investigated the distance estimates of individuals contacted in a shopping mall in Scottsdale, Arizona, to two points located in opposite directions along a major street adjacent to the mall. Data from the laboratory study revealed a strong positive relationship between the number of intersections along a traversed linear pathway and the estimated length of that path. Significant differences in estimated distance as a function of the number of intersections were also observed in the results of the field study. The findings are discussed in relation to information processing/storage and pathway segmentation models.
Housing for the Elderly
Authors: Devlin Ann Sloan
Published: March 2007

A post-occupancy evaluation of highrise versus garden apartment housing was carried out with 77 residents of two highrise and two garden apartment public housing complexes for the elderly. The study's primary purpose was to assess the impact on satisfaction and coping ability of an array of design configurations and features, such as spatial layout and corridor discriminability, suggested by an information-processing theoretical framework. Findings indicate that design solutions do influence resident's degree of disorientation, perception of hazards, and provide different kinds of satisfactions. Court residents derive satisfaction from physical aspects of ground-level design and proximity to nature, while highrise residents experience greater attentional demands and confusion but have a supportive social environment.
Assessing and Evaluating Residential Environments
Authors: Wandersman Abraham , Moos Rudolf H.
Published: March 2007

The major purpose of this article is to suggest approaches for assessing and evaluating sheltered living environments. First, a multidimensional approach to environmental assessment is described. Second, we present a set of outcome criteria that can be used to evaluate the effects of environmental dimensions. We then suggest several approaches for utilizing information about environments to increase the fit between people and environments, and to facilitate change in environments.
Improving Environmental Information
Authors: Wener Richard E. , Kaminoff Robert D.
Published: March 2007

The studV examined ways of modifying perceptions and use of a high density environment, without changing actual density levels. In particular, the effects of adding information cues were observed. Several signs identifying the location of activities and describing visitor registration procedures were installed in the crowded lobby of a federal correctional center, as the result of some findings from a post-occupancy evaluation. Attitudes and behaviors of visitors in the lobby were measured before and after installation of the signs. The behavior of visitors was observed from the moment they entered the lobby until all registration forms were completed. Visitors were asked to rate the lobby environment and the institution's staff on a number of seven-point scales. The presence of the signs significantly reduced perceived crowding, discomfort, anger, and confusion, as well as the amount of time needed to complete the registration process. The signs also tended to reduce the number of wrong turns, requests for information, and confused gestures by visitors. The study demonstrates the role cognition may play in altering the perception of crowding and ameliorating some of its negative consequences. Implications for cognitive models of crowding are discussed.