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Mark Davison

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Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Dokuz Eylül University

Istanbul University

Giampaolo Orlandoni

Universidad de Los Andes (Venezuela)

Stéphane Moyson

Université catholique de Louvain

Nipissing University

Hakkı Kemal Yılmaz

İstanbul üniversitesi

Silvia S Martins

Columbia University

Penn State University

Gordon Anderson

University of Toronto

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Papers by Mark Davison

Constructing Subscores That Add Validity: A Case Study of Identifying Students at Risk

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 2018

Prior research suggests that subscores from a single achievement test seldom add value over a sin... more Prior research suggests that subscores from a single achievement test seldom add value over a single total score. Such scores typically correspond to subcontent areas in the total content domain, but content subdomains might not provide a sound basis for subscores. Using scores on an inferential reading comprehension test from 625 third, fourth, and fifth graders, two new methods of creating subscores were explored. Three subscores were based on the types of incorrect answers given by students. The fourth was based on temporal efficiency in giving correct answers. All four scores were reliable. The three subscores based on incorrect answers added value and validity. In logistic regression analyses predicting failure to reach proficiency on a statewide test, models including subscores fit better than the model with a single total score. Including the pattern of incorrect responses improved fit in all three grades, whereas including the comprehension efficiency score only modestly imp...

MOCCA College: An assessment of inferential narrative and expository comprehension

6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20)

MOCCA-C is an assessment of adult reading ability designed for early diagnosis of reading problem... more MOCCA-C is an assessment of adult reading ability designed for early diagnosis of reading problems, for formative assessment in reading intervention planning, for assessment of reading improvement over time, and for assessment of reading intervention outcomes. It uses both narrative and expository reading passages and it currently has four forms. Two goals of this research were to compare narrative and expository passages on (a) their difficulty and (b) their ability to discriminate between good and poor readers. An additional goal was to assess whether narrative and expository passages measure the same or different comprehension dimensions. A final goal was to assess the reliability of forms. We randomly assigned students to forms with between 274 – 279 college students per form. Across the several forms, results suggest that narrative passages are easier and better discriminate between good and poor readers. However, both narrative and expository passages measure a single di...

Analysis of Textual Features of a New Reading Comprehension Assessment: MOCCA

Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2015

Body Background / Context: Previous research has established two types of struggling readers: tho... more Body Background / Context: Previous research has established two types of struggling readers: those who struggle with lower-level reading skills and those who struggle with higher-level reading skills (Cain & Oakhill, 2006; Perfetti, 2007). The latter group is commonly termed poor comprehenders: readers who exhibit poor comprehension compared to peers with similar word-reading skills and vocabulary (e.g.,

New Editor's Statement: Continuity and Change

Applied Psychological Measurement, 2007

With the November 2006 issue of Applied Psychological Measurement (APM), Mark Reckase completed h... more With the November 2006 issue of Applied Psychological Measurement (APM), Mark Reckase completed his term as editor. Mark was only the second editor in the journal's 30-year history. All of us in the field deeply appreciate the dedication, organization, and wisdom that he brought to the task. I personally want to thank him for his advice and assistance during this transition to a new editor. The journal, the field, and our careers have greatly benefited from his editorship. In the very first issue, the founding editor, David J. Weiss, stated the motivation behind the journal's creation: ''(APM) was developed because of the importance of psychological measurement in the advancement of the understanding of behavior.'' Mark Reckase has described APM as the ''foremost source of research on model-based measurement and computerized testing in existence.'' APM's fundamental purpose has not changed, although the prominent research topics are ever evolving. Although it is dangerous to predict research trends, my term might see an increased emphasis on topics such as computerized testing, the measurement of growth and change, a unified view of multidimensional item response theory and item factor analysis, and computerized scoring of constructed response items. Any omission from this list of possible future trends reflects the narrowness of my vision rather than any narrowness of the journal's editorial scope. The mission of the journal remains broad: to publish empirical research on the application of psychological measurement to substantive problems in all areas of psychology and related disciplines. Future changes in the journal will reflect both the evolution of research topics in the field and changes in the publishing industry. We have already begun a transition to electronic submission of manuscripts and reviews. More changes are planned. APM will soon be using Sage Publications's SageTrack program, a Web-based system for manuscript submission, tracking, and reviewing. Look for future announcements in the journal concerning the transition to a Web-based system. This Web-based system should improve the quality and timeliness of reviews. It should also eliminate delays in transmission of manuscripts and reviews to and from anywhere in the world. Once the transition to a Web-based system is complete, there will be a review and reconfiguration of the Editorial Board. Emerging leaders in our field will be invited to join the work of the journal. As a result of the changes, the Board should better represent emerging areas of research. The goal is to maintain the fundamental purpose of the journal and its preeminence in the field while incorporating advances in the publishing industry and the evolution of research topics. As it has for the past 30 years, APM will continue to reflect and lead changes in research about applied psychological measurement.

An Expression of Appreciation from the Outgoing Editor

Applied Psychological Measurement, 2012

And a special thanks to Margaret Ferdinand whose effort, patience, and skill as Managing Editor m... more And a special thanks to Margaret Ferdinand whose effort, patience, and skill as Managing Editor made the journal possible. During the past six years, the journal has undergone substantial changes. It has transitioned to an online process for submission and review of manuscripts, and it has added two additional issues annually. The substantial contributions of its authors have been recognized in two important ways. In an analysis of Essential Science Indicators SM by Thomson Reuters, APM was listed among the most cited journals in the fields of Psychiatry and Psychology based on its citation rate from 2000-2010. Also, between 2006 and 2011, the number of subscriptions has increased from 1,369 to 6,865. Whereas, most of the subscriptions were in hardcopy in 2006, now most of the subscriptions are electronic. It is interesting to reflect on how the thinking and the practices in the field have been changing over the past six years due in part to the influence of APM. On the theoretical side, generalized linear models have unified the formerly separate areas of item response theory, factor analysis, mixed effects models, and structural equations. Concepts of differential item functioning are being incorporated into the broader framework of measurement invariance. Increasing applications of computer technology can be seen in the widening spread of computerized testing, automated test assembly, computerized scoring of constructed response items, and even computerized algorithms for generation of items. As multidimensional models, become increasingly feasible, there is substantial interest in whether the models can improve such things as the reliability of subscores and the equating of forms. At APM, the vision remains the same: to help foster new methods that will improve existing measures and enable the assessment of heretofore unmeasureable attributes for purposes of improving decision-making in various applications of psychology. We were all pleased to learn that Professor Hua-hua Chang of the University of Illinois has accepted the editorship, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome him to the position. His vision and expertise will provide leadership to the journal and to our academic field. With our support as authors, associate editors, editorial board members, and reviewers he will continue the rich tradition of APM begun by David J. Weiss in 1976.

Describing and testing a moderator of the moral judgment and action relationship

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1991

The relationship between moral judgment development and action for Ss who differ in the degree to... more The relationship between moral judgment development and action for Ss who differ in the degree to which justice-based moral judgments influence moral decision making was investigated. First, a method for quantifying Ss' use of justice-based moral judgments in moral decision making (the utilizer variable) is described. Second, 5 moral judgment and action studies are reanalyzed to assess the moderating effect of the utilizer variable information. Results indicate that the relationship between moral judgment scores and action intensifies as utilization increases. Moreover, the utilizer effect appears uniform across different age and educational levels and behavioral domains. These findings support the validity of the utilizer variable and are consistent with recent multiprocess models of moral action that suggest that moral judgments are a necessary, but insufficient, factor in the production of moral action.

Moral reasoning development and graduate education

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 1983

The Defining issues Test (DIT) of moral reasoning development was administered to 20 advanced and... more The Defining issues Test (DIT) of moral reasoning development was administered to 20 advanced and 20 first-year groduate students, plus 40 college graduates matched to the graduate groups on sex, age, and verbal ability. A two-way ANOVA design was used to infer whether groduate education, selection, maturation, or a combination of these effects is (are) associated with group differences on the DIT. Results suggest thot differences found between the graduate students and college graduotes can be accounted for by a combination of moturational and selection effects, contrary to the hypothesized effects of formal education.

Using Multidimensional Scaling to Explore Value Issues in Counseling

It is widely agreed that counselors' and clients' values influence every phase of psychotherapy. ... more It is widely agreed that counselors' and clients' values influence every phase of psychotherapy. A preliminary appraisal of the usefulness of multidimensional scaling (MDS) for investigating the effects of values on counseling process and outcome was done. MDS was used to investigate how theistic or atheistic values of a counselor, when revealed, influenced 49 religious psychotherapy clients' and 51 religious leaders' trust of the counselor. Clients were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, receiving psychotherapy at a Mormon counseling clinic. The non-client subjects were not receiving counseling at the clinic and were serving in non-paid leadership positions in local congregations of the Mormon church. The analysis revealed that: (1) values of atheistic counselors inspired client distrust; (2) a counselor who believed in God inspired the most client trust while a counselor who didn't believe in God inspired the most distrust; (3) client trust was not one-dimensional, there appeared to be both orthodox and unorthodox trust dimensions; and (4) religious leaders were more orthodox in their trust, or more theistically oriented in their values, than were the clients. MDS might be used to investigate other current value issues in counseling. This preliminary appraisal of MDS suggests that it has potential as a methodological tool in this research area.

Commentary on high-performance computing and statistical analysis: From large-scale data analysis to smoothing functions

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, &amp Computers, 1997

High-performance computing becomes essential to statistical analysis when the database is massive... more High-performance computing becomes essential to statistical analysis when the database is massive or the number of computations per data element is large. Albert F.Anderson (1997) discusses the application ofhigh-perfonnance computing to massivedatabases; J. O.Ramsay's(Ramsay, Heckman,& Silverman, 1997)estimation problems potentially require large numbers of computations per data element.

Minneapolis Public Schools Start Time Study Executive Summary 1998

Literature Review There is a substantial literature in the medical, psychological, and sociologic... more Literature Review There is a substantial literature in the medical, psychological, and sociological fields which describe the sleep process and its impact on cognitive, social, and emotional development and functioning. Compelling evidence supports the contention that waking activities and events play an important role in sleep. While not yet adequately studied in children, there appears to be an inextricable relationship between sleep and daytime functioning in adults. Despite what would seem to be an obvious connection between sleep and school performance, little concerted study of the interaction of these two factors has been undertaken in the school milieu. Current medical research contends that there exists great variation in the impact of sleep deprivation upon individuals. This must be studied in more detail to assure that contemplated changes in school policy will be sensitive to the individual needs of students. Potential implications for both professional fields appear to be profound. Sleep research has raised a number of critical questions concerning the learning process of children and youth. If indeed the speculations are valid, educators have a great deal to benefit from embracing sleep research and making it a part of educational policy and practice. Methodology For this study, input was gathered from a very wide range of stakeholders. Those persons include students, teachers, parents, building and central office administrators, and education assistants and support staff. Data collection strategies included individual in-person and telephone interviews, written surveys, focus groups, and a review of documents and prior information. Due to the need to focus the study because of fiscal and time constraints, the focus for the majority of the data collection was at the secondary level; however, related data was also collected at the elementary level. Student Survey The School Sleep Habits Survey developed by Bradley Hospital at Brown University was administered to a stratified random sample of high school students (N=471) in three Minneapolis high schools. In addition, a group consisting of Student Council Members representing each Minneapolis high school was surveyed (N=48) as well. The survey was also administered to a sample of Minneapolis middle school students (N=599) and a sample of high

Measurement Accuracy: An Application of Multidimensional Item Response Theory to the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised Achievement Scales

A two-dimensional, compensatory item response model and a unidimensional model were fitted to the... more A two-dimensional, compensatory item response model and a unidimensional model were fitted to the reading and mathematics items in the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised for a sample of 1,000 adults aged 20-39 years. Multidimensional information theory predicts that if the unidimensional abilities can be represented as vectors in the two-dimensional solution, then the multidimensional model can be used to obtain ability scores with smaller standard errors. In reading, the mul,idimensional model yielded scores with smaller standard errors, but multidimensional scores from subtests within reading were identical to the overall reading score. In mathematics, unidimensional scores were non-linearly related to multidimensional ability estimates, and for some subjects, multidimensional ability scores had larger standard errors. There is a 16-item list of references. One table and 12 figures provide analysis information. (Author/SLD)

Application of the PAMS (Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling) Model to Constructing Cognitive Ability Patterns

Factor Analysis (FA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) have been used to study the structure of ... more Factor Analysis (FA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) have been used to study the structure of human abilities. In his comparison of FA and MDS, MacCallum (1974) suggested one reason why FA has been so dominant. MacCallum noted that FA is based on an explicit model linking the observed test scores to model parameters. This model-based link between observed test scores and parameters makes FA a far richer method for the study of profile type data where rows represent people and columns represent tests or test items. In the absence of an explicit model, MDS parameter estimates are far less rich in meaning. The purpose of this paper is to; (1) describe an explicit MDS model for profile data, and the model was called the PAMS (Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling) model (Davison, 1996, 1994); (2) illustrate the application of the model to the study of the structure of cognitive ability patterns using Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery---Revised (WJ-R; Woodcock and Joh...

Modeling Configural Patterns in Latent Variable Profiles: Association With an Endogenous Variable

Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2014

A model is proposed for identifying latent predictor score patterns associated with a latent outc... more A model is proposed for identifying latent predictor score patterns associated with a latent outcome variable. The model employs 2 new devices: (a) a path coefficient vector of contrast coefficients to describe a configural pattern in a structural model, and (b) a new type of latent variable with values that quantify the match of the person's latent predictor variable profile pattern to a theoretical pattern associated with the factor. The model is illustrated using data on perceptions and evaluations of political candidates during a debate. Findings suggest a pattern of scores on the perceptual variables associated with perceived debate success for female observers but not for male observers.

Factor Analytic Modeling of Within Person Variation in Score Profiles

Multivariate Behavioral Research, 2009

A profile is a vector of scores for one examinee. The mean score in the vector can be interpreted... more A profile is a vector of scores for one examinee. The mean score in the vector can be interpreted as a measure of overall profile height, the variance can be interpreted as a measure of within person variation, and the ipsatized vector of score deviations about the mean can be said to describe the pattern in the score profile. A within person pattern interpretation of orthogonal factor loadings is developed. A statistic is proposed to index the amount of within person variation accounted for by an orthogonal factor. The statistic can be used to determine whether a factor warrants a within person pattern interpretation. A factor model with a random coefficient intercept is proposed for the study of within person score patterns accounting for within person variation. Two examples, one involving items from the Life Orientation Test and the other involving subscales of the Strong Vocational Interest Inventory, illustrate application of the factor model with an intercept, the within person variation statistic, and the profile pattern interpretation of factor loadings. With empirical support from the examples, it is conjectured that theoretically important traits often manifest themselves through within person score patterns.

Utilizing Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling To Ascertain Patterns in Course-Taking: Mathematics and Science Course-Taking Patterns

This paper describes a methodology, called Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS), ... more This paper describes a methodology, called Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS), designed to identify major patterns of variables and to study the relationships into which those patterns enter. Patterns of variables are here called profiles. The PAMS procedure has been adapted to characteristics of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Statistical Analysis System (SAS) templates to implement the methodology have been or are being developed. Adaptations of the general PAMS approach for the study of course-taking patterns are described. Multidimensional scaling is being used to identify patterns of course-taking in mathematics and science, and preliminary results from these analyses are reported. The direction of future research is outlined. Four tables and 12 figui-es illustrate the analyses. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/SLD)

Back to the Basics: An Investigation of School-and District-Level Remediation Efforts Associated with Minnesota

ED463562 - Back to the Basics: An Investigation of School-and District-Level Remediation Efforts ... more

Fast Break to Learning School Breakfast Program: A Report of the First Year Results, 1999-2000

Loglinear Analysis of Learning Hierarchy and Developmental Sequence Data

The int'rest in developmental sequences and learning hierarchies is growing. One approach to the ... more The int'rest in developmental sequences and learning hierarchies is growing. One approach to the study of such sequences is to gather data on several variables, each of which corresponds to a stage, step, or phase in the sequence and to examine the associations between the variables as displayed in a contingency table. If the variables are associated in ways predicted'by the hypothesized sequence, then the data lend support to the sequence. Goodman's loglinear model for developmental or learning sequences is presented and illustrated on number concept data gathered by Brainerd and Fraser. Where its strong assumptions are satisfied, the model provides a probabilistic framework within which to: (1) test the plausibility of an hypothesized developmental sequence or learning hierarchy; (2) compare several hypothesized sequences on the same data; (3) estimate the proportion of subjects who do not c)nform to the sequence; and (4) estimate the proportion of subjects-at each step in the sequence. (Author/BL)

An Exploratory Technique for Finding the Q-matrix in Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment : Combining Theory with Data

There is a growing interest in testing students formatively during the course of teaching in orde... more There is a growing interest in testing students formatively during the course of teaching in order to determine skills that students do or do not possess. Information about skill mastery or nonmastery can help tailor instruction to needs of the students. A useful tool for formative assessment is cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA). CDA measures the specific knowledge structures and the processing skills that examinees possess to provide information about the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of examinees (Leighton & Gierl, 2007). The cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) that CDA uses to relate the latent skills to observed behavior (tasks) require a Q-matrix having elements qjk for J items and K attributes (Tatsuoka, 1983).

Profile Analysis Via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) in Clinical Psychology

Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, 2021

ABSTRACT A model for test scores called the profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS) ... more ABSTRACT A model for test scores called the profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS) model is described. The model reparameterizes the linear latent variable model in such a way that the latent variables can be interpreted in terms of profile patterns, rather than factors. The model can serve as the basis for exploratory multidimensional scaling analyses to identify major patterns in test scores; or it can serve as the basis for confirmatory structural equations analyses designed to test hypotheses about profile patterns and their associations with other variables. An exploratory multidimensional scaling analysis is described with particular emphasis on the interpretation of the model parameters in terms of latent profile patterns. The analysis is illustrated with vocational interest data. Finally, the exploratory multidimensional scaling analysis is compared to some alternative methods for identifying major profile patterns in data. (Contains 3 tables, 6 figures, and 23 references.) (Author)

Constructing Subscores That Add Validity: A Case Study of Identifying Students at Risk

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 2018

Prior research suggests that subscores from a single achievement test seldom add value over a sin... more Prior research suggests that subscores from a single achievement test seldom add value over a single total score. Such scores typically correspond to subcontent areas in the total content domain, but content subdomains might not provide a sound basis for subscores. Using scores on an inferential reading comprehension test from 625 third, fourth, and fifth graders, two new methods of creating subscores were explored. Three subscores were based on the types of incorrect answers given by students. The fourth was based on temporal efficiency in giving correct answers. All four scores were reliable. The three subscores based on incorrect answers added value and validity. In logistic regression analyses predicting failure to reach proficiency on a statewide test, models including subscores fit better than the model with a single total score. Including the pattern of incorrect responses improved fit in all three grades, whereas including the comprehension efficiency score only modestly imp...

MOCCA College: An assessment of inferential narrative and expository comprehension

6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20)

MOCCA-C is an assessment of adult reading ability designed for early diagnosis of reading problem... more MOCCA-C is an assessment of adult reading ability designed for early diagnosis of reading problems, for formative assessment in reading intervention planning, for assessment of reading improvement over time, and for assessment of reading intervention outcomes. It uses both narrative and expository reading passages and it currently has four forms. Two goals of this research were to compare narrative and expository passages on (a) their difficulty and (b) their ability to discriminate between good and poor readers. An additional goal was to assess whether narrative and expository passages measure the same or different comprehension dimensions. A final goal was to assess the reliability of forms. We randomly assigned students to forms with between 274 – 279 college students per form. Across the several forms, results suggest that narrative passages are easier and better discriminate between good and poor readers. However, both narrative and expository passages measure a single di...

Analysis of Textual Features of a New Reading Comprehension Assessment: MOCCA

Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2015

Body Background / Context: Previous research has established two types of struggling readers: tho... more Body Background / Context: Previous research has established two types of struggling readers: those who struggle with lower-level reading skills and those who struggle with higher-level reading skills (Cain & Oakhill, 2006; Perfetti, 2007). The latter group is commonly termed poor comprehenders: readers who exhibit poor comprehension compared to peers with similar word-reading skills and vocabulary (e.g.,

New Editor's Statement: Continuity and Change

Applied Psychological Measurement, 2007

With the November 2006 issue of Applied Psychological Measurement (APM), Mark Reckase completed h... more With the November 2006 issue of Applied Psychological Measurement (APM), Mark Reckase completed his term as editor. Mark was only the second editor in the journal's 30-year history. All of us in the field deeply appreciate the dedication, organization, and wisdom that he brought to the task. I personally want to thank him for his advice and assistance during this transition to a new editor. The journal, the field, and our careers have greatly benefited from his editorship. In the very first issue, the founding editor, David J. Weiss, stated the motivation behind the journal's creation: ''(APM) was developed because of the importance of psychological measurement in the advancement of the understanding of behavior.'' Mark Reckase has described APM as the ''foremost source of research on model-based measurement and computerized testing in existence.'' APM's fundamental purpose has not changed, although the prominent research topics are ever evolving. Although it is dangerous to predict research trends, my term might see an increased emphasis on topics such as computerized testing, the measurement of growth and change, a unified view of multidimensional item response theory and item factor analysis, and computerized scoring of constructed response items. Any omission from this list of possible future trends reflects the narrowness of my vision rather than any narrowness of the journal's editorial scope. The mission of the journal remains broad: to publish empirical research on the application of psychological measurement to substantive problems in all areas of psychology and related disciplines. Future changes in the journal will reflect both the evolution of research topics in the field and changes in the publishing industry. We have already begun a transition to electronic submission of manuscripts and reviews. More changes are planned. APM will soon be using Sage Publications's SageTrack program, a Web-based system for manuscript submission, tracking, and reviewing. Look for future announcements in the journal concerning the transition to a Web-based system. This Web-based system should improve the quality and timeliness of reviews. It should also eliminate delays in transmission of manuscripts and reviews to and from anywhere in the world. Once the transition to a Web-based system is complete, there will be a review and reconfiguration of the Editorial Board. Emerging leaders in our field will be invited to join the work of the journal. As a result of the changes, the Board should better represent emerging areas of research. The goal is to maintain the fundamental purpose of the journal and its preeminence in the field while incorporating advances in the publishing industry and the evolution of research topics. As it has for the past 30 years, APM will continue to reflect and lead changes in research about applied psychological measurement.

An Expression of Appreciation from the Outgoing Editor

Applied Psychological Measurement, 2012

And a special thanks to Margaret Ferdinand whose effort, patience, and skill as Managing Editor m... more And a special thanks to Margaret Ferdinand whose effort, patience, and skill as Managing Editor made the journal possible. During the past six years, the journal has undergone substantial changes. It has transitioned to an online process for submission and review of manuscripts, and it has added two additional issues annually. The substantial contributions of its authors have been recognized in two important ways. In an analysis of Essential Science Indicators SM by Thomson Reuters, APM was listed among the most cited journals in the fields of Psychiatry and Psychology based on its citation rate from 2000-2010. Also, between 2006 and 2011, the number of subscriptions has increased from 1,369 to 6,865. Whereas, most of the subscriptions were in hardcopy in 2006, now most of the subscriptions are electronic. It is interesting to reflect on how the thinking and the practices in the field have been changing over the past six years due in part to the influence of APM. On the theoretical side, generalized linear models have unified the formerly separate areas of item response theory, factor analysis, mixed effects models, and structural equations. Concepts of differential item functioning are being incorporated into the broader framework of measurement invariance. Increasing applications of computer technology can be seen in the widening spread of computerized testing, automated test assembly, computerized scoring of constructed response items, and even computerized algorithms for generation of items. As multidimensional models, become increasingly feasible, there is substantial interest in whether the models can improve such things as the reliability of subscores and the equating of forms. At APM, the vision remains the same: to help foster new methods that will improve existing measures and enable the assessment of heretofore unmeasureable attributes for purposes of improving decision-making in various applications of psychology. We were all pleased to learn that Professor Hua-hua Chang of the University of Illinois has accepted the editorship, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome him to the position. His vision and expertise will provide leadership to the journal and to our academic field. With our support as authors, associate editors, editorial board members, and reviewers he will continue the rich tradition of APM begun by David J. Weiss in 1976.

Describing and testing a moderator of the moral judgment and action relationship

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1991

The relationship between moral judgment development and action for Ss who differ in the degree to... more The relationship between moral judgment development and action for Ss who differ in the degree to which justice-based moral judgments influence moral decision making was investigated. First, a method for quantifying Ss' use of justice-based moral judgments in moral decision making (the utilizer variable) is described. Second, 5 moral judgment and action studies are reanalyzed to assess the moderating effect of the utilizer variable information. Results indicate that the relationship between moral judgment scores and action intensifies as utilization increases. Moreover, the utilizer effect appears uniform across different age and educational levels and behavioral domains. These findings support the validity of the utilizer variable and are consistent with recent multiprocess models of moral action that suggest that moral judgments are a necessary, but insufficient, factor in the production of moral action.

Moral reasoning development and graduate education

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 1983

The Defining issues Test (DIT) of moral reasoning development was administered to 20 advanced and... more The Defining issues Test (DIT) of moral reasoning development was administered to 20 advanced and 20 first-year groduate students, plus 40 college graduates matched to the graduate groups on sex, age, and verbal ability. A two-way ANOVA design was used to infer whether groduate education, selection, maturation, or a combination of these effects is (are) associated with group differences on the DIT. Results suggest thot differences found between the graduate students and college graduotes can be accounted for by a combination of moturational and selection effects, contrary to the hypothesized effects of formal education.

Using Multidimensional Scaling to Explore Value Issues in Counseling

It is widely agreed that counselors' and clients' values influence every phase of psychotherapy. ... more It is widely agreed that counselors' and clients' values influence every phase of psychotherapy. A preliminary appraisal of the usefulness of multidimensional scaling (MDS) for investigating the effects of values on counseling process and outcome was done. MDS was used to investigate how theistic or atheistic values of a counselor, when revealed, influenced 49 religious psychotherapy clients' and 51 religious leaders' trust of the counselor. Clients were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, receiving psychotherapy at a Mormon counseling clinic. The non-client subjects were not receiving counseling at the clinic and were serving in non-paid leadership positions in local congregations of the Mormon church. The analysis revealed that: (1) values of atheistic counselors inspired client distrust; (2) a counselor who believed in God inspired the most client trust while a counselor who didn't believe in God inspired the most distrust; (3) client trust was not one-dimensional, there appeared to be both orthodox and unorthodox trust dimensions; and (4) religious leaders were more orthodox in their trust, or more theistically oriented in their values, than were the clients. MDS might be used to investigate other current value issues in counseling. This preliminary appraisal of MDS suggests that it has potential as a methodological tool in this research area.

Commentary on high-performance computing and statistical analysis: From large-scale data analysis to smoothing functions

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, &amp Computers, 1997

High-performance computing becomes essential to statistical analysis when the database is massive... more High-performance computing becomes essential to statistical analysis when the database is massive or the number of computations per data element is large. Albert F.Anderson (1997) discusses the application ofhigh-perfonnance computing to massivedatabases; J. O.Ramsay's(Ramsay, Heckman,& Silverman, 1997)estimation problems potentially require large numbers of computations per data element.

Minneapolis Public Schools Start Time Study Executive Summary 1998

Literature Review There is a substantial literature in the medical, psychological, and sociologic... more Literature Review There is a substantial literature in the medical, psychological, and sociological fields which describe the sleep process and its impact on cognitive, social, and emotional development and functioning. Compelling evidence supports the contention that waking activities and events play an important role in sleep. While not yet adequately studied in children, there appears to be an inextricable relationship between sleep and daytime functioning in adults. Despite what would seem to be an obvious connection between sleep and school performance, little concerted study of the interaction of these two factors has been undertaken in the school milieu. Current medical research contends that there exists great variation in the impact of sleep deprivation upon individuals. This must be studied in more detail to assure that contemplated changes in school policy will be sensitive to the individual needs of students. Potential implications for both professional fields appear to be profound. Sleep research has raised a number of critical questions concerning the learning process of children and youth. If indeed the speculations are valid, educators have a great deal to benefit from embracing sleep research and making it a part of educational policy and practice. Methodology For this study, input was gathered from a very wide range of stakeholders. Those persons include students, teachers, parents, building and central office administrators, and education assistants and support staff. Data collection strategies included individual in-person and telephone interviews, written surveys, focus groups, and a review of documents and prior information. Due to the need to focus the study because of fiscal and time constraints, the focus for the majority of the data collection was at the secondary level; however, related data was also collected at the elementary level. Student Survey The School Sleep Habits Survey developed by Bradley Hospital at Brown University was administered to a stratified random sample of high school students (N=471) in three Minneapolis high schools. In addition, a group consisting of Student Council Members representing each Minneapolis high school was surveyed (N=48) as well. The survey was also administered to a sample of Minneapolis middle school students (N=599) and a sample of high

Measurement Accuracy: An Application of Multidimensional Item Response Theory to the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised Achievement Scales

A two-dimensional, compensatory item response model and a unidimensional model were fitted to the... more A two-dimensional, compensatory item response model and a unidimensional model were fitted to the reading and mathematics items in the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised for a sample of 1,000 adults aged 20-39 years. Multidimensional information theory predicts that if the unidimensional abilities can be represented as vectors in the two-dimensional solution, then the multidimensional model can be used to obtain ability scores with smaller standard errors. In reading, the mul,idimensional model yielded scores with smaller standard errors, but multidimensional scores from subtests within reading were identical to the overall reading score. In mathematics, unidimensional scores were non-linearly related to multidimensional ability estimates, and for some subjects, multidimensional ability scores had larger standard errors. There is a 16-item list of references. One table and 12 figures provide analysis information. (Author/SLD)

Application of the PAMS (Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling) Model to Constructing Cognitive Ability Patterns

Factor Analysis (FA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) have been used to study the structure of ... more Factor Analysis (FA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) have been used to study the structure of human abilities. In his comparison of FA and MDS, MacCallum (1974) suggested one reason why FA has been so dominant. MacCallum noted that FA is based on an explicit model linking the observed test scores to model parameters. This model-based link between observed test scores and parameters makes FA a far richer method for the study of profile type data where rows represent people and columns represent tests or test items. In the absence of an explicit model, MDS parameter estimates are far less rich in meaning. The purpose of this paper is to; (1) describe an explicit MDS model for profile data, and the model was called the PAMS (Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling) model (Davison, 1996, 1994); (2) illustrate the application of the model to the study of the structure of cognitive ability patterns using Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery---Revised (WJ-R; Woodcock and Joh...

Modeling Configural Patterns in Latent Variable Profiles: Association With an Endogenous Variable

Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2014

A model is proposed for identifying latent predictor score patterns associated with a latent outc... more A model is proposed for identifying latent predictor score patterns associated with a latent outcome variable. The model employs 2 new devices: (a) a path coefficient vector of contrast coefficients to describe a configural pattern in a structural model, and (b) a new type of latent variable with values that quantify the match of the person's latent predictor variable profile pattern to a theoretical pattern associated with the factor. The model is illustrated using data on perceptions and evaluations of political candidates during a debate. Findings suggest a pattern of scores on the perceptual variables associated with perceived debate success for female observers but not for male observers.

Factor Analytic Modeling of Within Person Variation in Score Profiles

Multivariate Behavioral Research, 2009

A profile is a vector of scores for one examinee. The mean score in the vector can be interpreted... more A profile is a vector of scores for one examinee. The mean score in the vector can be interpreted as a measure of overall profile height, the variance can be interpreted as a measure of within person variation, and the ipsatized vector of score deviations about the mean can be said to describe the pattern in the score profile. A within person pattern interpretation of orthogonal factor loadings is developed. A statistic is proposed to index the amount of within person variation accounted for by an orthogonal factor. The statistic can be used to determine whether a factor warrants a within person pattern interpretation. A factor model with a random coefficient intercept is proposed for the study of within person score patterns accounting for within person variation. Two examples, one involving items from the Life Orientation Test and the other involving subscales of the Strong Vocational Interest Inventory, illustrate application of the factor model with an intercept, the within person variation statistic, and the profile pattern interpretation of factor loadings. With empirical support from the examples, it is conjectured that theoretically important traits often manifest themselves through within person score patterns.

Utilizing Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling To Ascertain Patterns in Course-Taking: Mathematics and Science Course-Taking Patterns

This paper describes a methodology, called Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS), ... more This paper describes a methodology, called Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS), designed to identify major patterns of variables and to study the relationships into which those patterns enter. Patterns of variables are here called profiles. The PAMS procedure has been adapted to characteristics of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Statistical Analysis System (SAS) templates to implement the methodology have been or are being developed. Adaptations of the general PAMS approach for the study of course-taking patterns are described. Multidimensional scaling is being used to identify patterns of course-taking in mathematics and science, and preliminary results from these analyses are reported. The direction of future research is outlined. Four tables and 12 figui-es illustrate the analyses. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/SLD)

Back to the Basics: An Investigation of School-and District-Level Remediation Efforts Associated with Minnesota

ED463562 - Back to the Basics: An Investigation of School-and District-Level Remediation Efforts ... more

Fast Break to Learning School Breakfast Program: A Report of the First Year Results, 1999-2000

Loglinear Analysis of Learning Hierarchy and Developmental Sequence Data

The int'rest in developmental sequences and learning hierarchies is growing. One approach to the ... more The int'rest in developmental sequences and learning hierarchies is growing. One approach to the study of such sequences is to gather data on several variables, each of which corresponds to a stage, step, or phase in the sequence and to examine the associations between the variables as displayed in a contingency table. If the variables are associated in ways predicted'by the hypothesized sequence, then the data lend support to the sequence. Goodman's loglinear model for developmental or learning sequences is presented and illustrated on number concept data gathered by Brainerd and Fraser. Where its strong assumptions are satisfied, the model provides a probabilistic framework within which to: (1) test the plausibility of an hypothesized developmental sequence or learning hierarchy; (2) compare several hypothesized sequences on the same data; (3) estimate the proportion of subjects who do not c)nform to the sequence; and (4) estimate the proportion of subjects-at each step in the sequence. (Author/BL)

An Exploratory Technique for Finding the Q-matrix in Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment : Combining Theory with Data

There is a growing interest in testing students formatively during the course of teaching in orde... more There is a growing interest in testing students formatively during the course of teaching in order to determine skills that students do or do not possess. Information about skill mastery or nonmastery can help tailor instruction to needs of the students. A useful tool for formative assessment is cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA). CDA measures the specific knowledge structures and the processing skills that examinees possess to provide information about the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of examinees (Leighton & Gierl, 2007). The cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) that CDA uses to relate the latent skills to observed behavior (tasks) require a Q-matrix having elements qjk for J items and K attributes (Tatsuoka, 1983).

Profile Analysis Via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) in Clinical Psychology

Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, 2021

ABSTRACT A model for test scores called the profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS) ... more ABSTRACT A model for test scores called the profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS) model is described. The model reparameterizes the linear latent variable model in such a way that the latent variables can be interpreted in terms of profile patterns, rather than factors. The model can serve as the basis for exploratory multidimensional scaling analyses to identify major patterns in test scores; or it can serve as the basis for confirmatory structural equations analyses designed to test hypotheses about profile patterns and their associations with other variables. An exploratory multidimensional scaling analysis is described with particular emphasis on the interpretation of the model parameters in terms of latent profile patterns. The analysis is illustrated with vocational interest data. Finally, the exploratory multidimensional scaling analysis is compared to some alternative methods for identifying major profile patterns in data. (Contains 3 tables, 6 figures, and 23 references.) (Author)