The attainment of postsecondary credentials holds particular promise in improving economic security for low-income single mothers. However, the type of school attended may matter when determining whether postsecondary credentials will foster positive labor market outcomes and financial stability for former students. This paper describes the pre-test of a field experiment to examine whether the school type listed on a job applicant’s resume has an impact on receiving a call for a job interview, in fields commonly pursued by low-income women. School types tested were for-profit schools and community colleges. Results revealed little difference in outcomes for job seekers with credentials from each school type. However, more reliable results could be obtained by repeating this study in a stronger economy, using job candidates with minimal applicable experience, applying to a greater number of positions, and selecting occupations for which an academic credential is widely seen as a prerequisite for entry. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_arcand
{"title":"A Field Experiment to Test the Labor Market Value of a Credential from a For-Profit Postsecondary School","authors":"Carolyn Arcand","doi":"10.2458/V5I1.18308","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V5I1.18308","url":null,"abstract":"The attainment of postsecondary credentials holds particular promise in improving economic security for low-income single mothers. However, the type of school attended may matter when determining whether postsecondary credentials will foster positive labor market outcomes and financial stability for former students. This paper describes the pre-test of a field experiment to examine whether the school type listed on a job applicant’s resume has an impact on receiving a call for a job interview, in fields commonly pursued by low-income women. School types tested were for-profit schools and community colleges. Results revealed little difference in outcomes for job seekers with credentials from each school type. However, more reliable results could be obtained by repeating this study in a stronger economy, using job candidates with minimal applicable experience, applying to a greater number of positions, and selecting occupations for which an academic credential is widely seen as a prerequisite for entry. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_arcand","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"5 1","pages":"40-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69068000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social scientists use a mixture of different methodologies, which creates problems for researchers attempting to review the cumulative results of all studies. Standard practice for review studies using meta-analysis is to adjust the findings of all studies that use control groups and to include studies not having control groups without adjustment for extraneous effects, or to not use studies that lack a control group, which could produce an erroneous result. Our study develops a novel meta-analytic procedure that combines the evidence on control group change with evidence on change from the intervention, making it possible to adjust for the effects of extraneous factors in all studies and bridges the gap between control group studies and other types of studies. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_hunter
{"title":"The Control Group and Meta-Analysis","authors":"J. Hunter, Jason L. Jensen, R. Rodgers","doi":"10.2458/V5I1.18302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V5I1.18302","url":null,"abstract":"Social scientists use a mixture of different methodologies, which creates problems for researchers attempting to review the cumulative results of all studies. Standard practice for review studies using meta-analysis is to adjust the findings of all studies that use control groups and to include studies not having control groups without adjustment for extraneous effects, or to not use studies that lack a control group, which could produce an erroneous result. Our study develops a novel meta-analytic procedure that combines the evidence on control group change with evidence on change from the intervention, making it possible to adjust for the effects of extraneous factors in all studies and bridges the gap between control group studies and other types of studies. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_hunter","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"5 1","pages":"3-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V5I1.18302","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In order to assess relationships between perceptions of anonymity and behaviors, a context independent instrument is required for measuring the perceptions of anonymity held by individuals. To date, no such measurement instrument exists that has been shown to be reliable and valid. The authors employ a rigorous design methodology to develop, test, and substantiate a reliable and valid instrument for measuring perceptions of anonymity across different contexts. The PA measure presented is a five item Likert scale designed to measure perceptions of anonymity across multiple contexts. Results from two separate EFA pilot tests (n=61 and n=60), a test-retest, and a CFA final test (n=292) indicate that the PA measure has good internal consistency reliability (a=.82), test-retest reliability, factorial validity, and a single factor structure. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_hite
{"title":"Measuring Perceived Anonymity: The Development of a Context Independent Instrument","authors":"D. Hite, Troy A. Voelker, Adrian Robertson","doi":"10.2458/V5I1.18305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V5I1.18305","url":null,"abstract":"In order to assess relationships between perceptions of anonymity and behaviors, a context independent instrument is required for measuring the perceptions of anonymity held by individuals. To date, no such measurement instrument exists that has been shown to be reliable and valid. The authors employ a rigorous design methodology to develop, test, and substantiate a reliable and valid instrument for measuring perceptions of anonymity across different contexts. The PA measure presented is a five item Likert scale designed to measure perceptions of anonymity across multiple contexts. Results from two separate EFA pilot tests (n=61 and n=60), a test-retest, and a CFA final test (n=292) indicate that the PA measure has good internal consistency reliability (a=.82), test-retest reliability, factorial validity, and a single factor structure. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_hite","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"5 1","pages":"22-39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V5I1.18305","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Many survey questions ask respondents to provide responses that contain quantitative information, often using either numeric open-ended responses or vague quantifier scales. Generally, survey researchers have argued against the use of vague quantifier scales. However, no study has compared accuracy between vague quantifiers and numeric open-ended responses. This study is the first to do so, using a unique data set created through an experiment. 124 participants studied word lists of paired words, where the experiment employed a 2 (context) x 2 (response form) x 6 (actual frequency) factorial design, with the context and form factors manipulated between subjects, and the frequency factor manipulated within subjects. The two conditions for the context factor are same-context and different-context conditions where the context word either was the same or different for each presentation of the target word. The other between subject factor was response form, where participants responded to a recall test using either vague quantifiers or numeric open-ended responses. Translations of vague quantifiers were obtained and used in accuracy tests. Finally, a numeracy test was administered to collect information about respondent numeracy. Different accuracy measures are estimated and analyzed. Results show context memory did not have a significant effect. Numeracy has an effect, but the direction depends on form and context. Actual frequency had a significant effect on accuracy, but did not interact with other variables. Importantly, results suggest vague quantifiers tend to improve accuracy more often relative to numeric open-ended response. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i2_Al_baghal
{"title":"Numeric Estimation and Response Options: An Examination of the Accuracy of Numeric and Vague Quantifier Responses","authors":"T. Baghal","doi":"10.2458/V5I2.18476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V5I2.18476","url":null,"abstract":"Many survey questions ask respondents to provide responses that contain quantitative information, often using either numeric open-ended responses or vague quantifier scales. Generally, survey researchers have argued against the use of vague quantifier scales. However, no study has compared accuracy between vague quantifiers and numeric open-ended responses. This study is the first to do so, using a unique data set created through an experiment. 124 participants studied word lists of paired words, where the experiment employed a 2 (context) x 2 (response form) x 6 (actual frequency) factorial design, with the context and form factors manipulated between subjects, and the frequency factor manipulated within subjects. The two conditions for the context factor are same-context and different-context conditions where the context word either was the same or different for each presentation of the target word. The other between subject factor was response form, where participants responded to a recall test using either vague quantifiers or numeric open-ended responses. Translations of vague quantifiers were obtained and used in accuracy tests. Finally, a numeracy test was administered to collect information about respondent numeracy. Different accuracy measures are estimated and analyzed. Results show context memory did not have a significant effect. Numeracy has an effect, but the direction depends on form and context. Actual frequency had a significant effect on accuracy, but did not interact with other variables. Importantly, results suggest vague quantifiers tend to improve accuracy more often relative to numeric open-ended response. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i2_Al_baghal","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"46 1","pages":"58-75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69070448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We present empirical tests of the stability of individual differences over the lifespan using a novel methodological technique to combine behavior-genetic data from twin dyads with longitudinal measures of life history-related traits (including health and personality) from non-twin samples. Using data from The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Longitudinal Survey, we constructed a series of “hybrid” models that permitted the estimation of both temporal stability parameters and behavior-genetic variance components to determine the contributions of genetic and environmental influences on individual differences. Our results indicate that changes in a higher-order factor of life history strategy (Super-K, composed of the K-Factor, Covitality, and Personality) over the study period were very small in magnitude and that this temporal stability is under a considerable degree of shared genetic influence and a substantial degree of non-shared environmental influence, but a statistically non-significant degree of shared environmental influence. Implications and future directions are discussed. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_figueredo
{"title":"No matter Where You Go, There You Are: The Genetic Foundations of Temporal Stability","authors":"A. Figueredo, T. C. Baca, Candace J Black","doi":"10.2458/V5I2.18477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V5I2.18477","url":null,"abstract":"We present empirical tests of the stability of individual differences over the lifespan using a novel methodological technique to combine behavior-genetic data from twin dyads with longitudinal measures of life history-related traits (including health and personality) from non-twin samples. Using data from The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Longitudinal Survey, we constructed a series of “hybrid” models that permitted the estimation of both temporal stability parameters and behavior-genetic variance components to determine the contributions of genetic and environmental influences on individual differences. Our results indicate that changes in a higher-order factor of life history strategy (Super-K, composed of the K-Factor, Covitality, and Personality) over the study period were very small in magnitude and that this temporal stability is under a considerable degree of shared genetic influence and a substantial degree of non-shared environmental influence, but a statistically non-significant degree of shared environmental influence. Implications and future directions are discussed. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i1_figueredo","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"15 1","pages":"76-106"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69070467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2014-02-18DOI: 10.2458/azu_jmmss.v3i2.16477
Melinda F. Davis
Donald Campbell wrote eloquently about the need to evaluate social reforms and lamented the lack of solid evaluation research to guide these reforms (1973). He suggested that social reforms be thought of as experiments, and society’s focus be on important problems rather than single solutions to these problems. Campbell’s vision of an experimenting society, in which reforms are evaluated and new approaches to social problems are developed based on evaluation outcomes has yet to be realized. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i2_davis
{"title":"The Experimenting Society","authors":"Melinda F. Davis","doi":"10.2458/azu_jmmss.v3i2.16477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_jmmss.v3i2.16477","url":null,"abstract":"Donald Campbell wrote eloquently about the need to evaluate social reforms and lamented the lack of solid evaluation research to guide these reforms (1973). He suggested that social reforms be thought of as experiments, and society’s focus be on important problems rather than single solutions to these problems. Campbell’s vision of an experimenting society, in which reforms are evaluated and new approaches to social problems are developed based on evaluation outcomes has yet to be realized. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v5i2_davis","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"5 1","pages":"56-57"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69054811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Gladden, A. Figueredo, D. J. Andrejzak, Daniel N. Jones, V. Smith-Castro
Recent findings indicate that a slow Life History (LH) strategy factor is associated with increased levels of Executive Functioning (EF), increased emotional intelligence, decreased levels of sexually coercive behaviors, and decreased levels of negative ethnocentrism. Based on these findings, as well as the generative theory, we predicted that slow LH strategy should inhibit negative androcentrism (bias against women). A sample of undergraduates responded to a battery of questionnaires measuring various facets of their LH Strategy, (e.g., sociosexual orientation, mating effort, mate-value, psychopathy, executive functioning, and emotional intelligence) and various convergent measures of Negative Androcentrism. A structural model that the data fit well indicated a latent protective LH strategy trait predicted decreased negative androcentrism. This trait fully mediated the relationship between participant biological sex and androcentrism. We suggest that slow LH strategy may inhibit negative attitudes toward women because of relatively decreased intrasexual competition and intersexual conflict among slow LH strategists. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i1_gladden
{"title":"Reproductive Strategy and Sexual Conflict Slow Life History Strategy Inihibts Negative Androcentrism","authors":"P. Gladden, A. Figueredo, D. J. Andrejzak, Daniel N. Jones, V. Smith-Castro","doi":"10.2458/V4I1.17774","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V4I1.17774","url":null,"abstract":"Recent findings indicate that a slow Life History (LH) strategy factor is associated with increased levels of Executive Functioning (EF), increased emotional intelligence, decreased levels of sexually coercive behaviors, and decreased levels of negative ethnocentrism. Based on these findings, as well as the generative theory, we predicted that slow LH strategy should inhibit negative androcentrism (bias against women). A sample of undergraduates responded to a battery of questionnaires measuring various facets of their LH Strategy, (e.g., sociosexual orientation, mating effort, mate-value, psychopathy, executive functioning, and emotional intelligence) and various convergent measures of Negative Androcentrism. A structural model that the data fit well indicated a latent protective LH strategy trait predicted decreased negative androcentrism. This trait fully mediated the relationship between participant biological sex and androcentrism. We suggest that slow LH strategy may inhibit negative attitudes toward women because of relatively decreased intrasexual competition and intersexual conflict among slow LH strategists. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i1_gladden","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"4 1","pages":"48-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V4I1.17774","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The number of methods for evaluating, and possibly making statistical decisions about, null contrasts - or their small sub-set, multiple comparisons - has grown extensively since the early 1950s. That demonstrates how important the subject is, but most of the growth consists of modest variations of the early methods. This paper examines nine fairly basic procedures, six of which are methods designed to evaluate contrasts chosen post hoc, i.e., after an examination of the test data. Three of these use experimentwise or familywise type 1 error rates (Scheffe 1953, Tukey 1953, Newman-Keuls, 1939 and 1952), two use decision-based type 1 error rates (Duncan 1951 and Rodger 1975a) and one (Fisher's LSD 1935) uses a mixture of the two type 1 error rate definitions. The other three methods examined are for evaluating, and possibly deciding about, a limited number of null contrasts that have been chosen independently of the sample data - preferably before the data are collected. One of these (planned t-tests) uses decision-based type 1 error rates and the other two (one based on Bonferroni's Inequality 1936, and the other Dunnett's 1964 Many-One procedure) use a familywise type 1 error rate. The use of these different type 1 error rate definitionsA creates quite large discrepancies in the capacities of the methods to detect true non-zero effects in the contrasts being evaluated. This article describes those discrepancies in power and, especially, how they are exacerbated by increases in the size of an investigation (i.e., an increase in J, the number of samples being examined). It is also true that the capacity of a multiple contrast procedure to 'unpick' 'true' differences from the sample data is influenced by the type of contrast the procedure permits. For example, multiple range procedures (such as that of Newman-Keuls and that of Duncan) permit only comparisons (i.e., two-group differences) and that greatly limits their discriminating capacity (which is not, technically speaking, their power). Many methods (those of Scheffe, Tukey's HSD, Newman-Keuls, Fisher's LSD, Bonferroni and Dunnett) place their emphasis on one particular question, "Are there any differences at all among the groups?" Some other procedures concentrate on individual contrasts (i.e., those of Duncan, Rodger and Planned Contrasts); so are more concerned with how many false null contrasts the method can detect. This results in two basically different definitions of detection capacity. Finally, there is a categorical difference between what post hoc methods and those evaluating pre-planned contrasts can find. The success of the latter depends on how wisely (or honestly well informed) the user has been in planning the limited number of statistically revealing contrasts to test. That can greatly affect the method's discriminating success, but it is often not included in power evaluations. These matters are elaborated upon as they arise in the exposition below. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i1_
{"title":"Comparison of Power for Multiple Comparison Procedures","authors":"R. S. Rodger, Mark D. Roberts","doi":"10.2458/V4I1.17775","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V4I1.17775","url":null,"abstract":"The number of methods for evaluating, and possibly making statistical decisions about, null contrasts - or their small sub-set, multiple comparisons - has grown extensively since the early 1950s. That demonstrates how important the subject is, but most of the growth consists of modest variations of the early methods. This paper examines nine fairly basic procedures, six of which are methods designed to evaluate contrasts chosen post hoc, i.e., after an examination of the test data. Three of these use experimentwise or familywise type 1 error rates (Scheffe 1953, Tukey 1953, Newman-Keuls, 1939 and 1952), two use decision-based type 1 error rates (Duncan 1951 and Rodger 1975a) and one (Fisher's LSD 1935) uses a mixture of the two type 1 error rate definitions. The other three methods examined are for evaluating, and possibly deciding about, a limited number of null contrasts that have been chosen independently of the sample data - preferably before the data are collected. One of these (planned t-tests) uses decision-based type 1 error rates and the other two (one based on Bonferroni's Inequality 1936, and the other Dunnett's 1964 Many-One procedure) use a familywise type 1 error rate. The use of these different type 1 error rate definitionsA creates quite large discrepancies in the capacities of the methods to detect true non-zero effects in the contrasts being evaluated. This article describes those discrepancies in power and, especially, how they are exacerbated by increases in the size of an investigation (i.e., an increase in J, the number of samples being examined). It is also true that the capacity of a multiple contrast procedure to 'unpick' 'true' differences from the sample data is influenced by the type of contrast the procedure permits. For example, multiple range procedures (such as that of Newman-Keuls and that of Duncan) permit only comparisons (i.e., two-group differences) and that greatly limits their discriminating capacity (which is not, technically speaking, their power). Many methods (those of Scheffe, Tukey's HSD, Newman-Keuls, Fisher's LSD, Bonferroni and Dunnett) place their emphasis on one particular question, \"Are there any differences at all among the groups?\" Some other procedures concentrate on individual contrasts (i.e., those of Duncan, Rodger and Planned Contrasts); so are more concerned with how many false null contrasts the method can detect. This results in two basically different definitions of detection capacity. Finally, there is a categorical difference between what post hoc methods and those evaluating pre-planned contrasts can find. The success of the latter depends on how wisely (or honestly well informed) the user has been in planning the limited number of statistically revealing contrasts to test. That can greatly affect the method's discriminating success, but it is often not included in power evaluations. These matters are elaborated upon as they arise in the exposition below. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i1_","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"4 1","pages":"20-47"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V4I1.17775","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Figueredo, R. García, T. C. Baca, J. C. Gable, Dave Weise
The process of mediation is of critical importance to the social and behavioral sciences and to evolutionary social psychology in particular. As with the concept of evolutionary adaptation, however, one can argue that causal mediation is in need of explicit theoretical justification and empirical support. Mainstream evolutionary social psychology proposes, for example, that organisms are “adaptation executers”, and not “fitness maximizers”. The execution of adaptations is triggered by fitness-relevant ecological contingencies at both ultimate and proximate levels of analysis. This logic is essentially equivalent to what methodologists refer to as the process of mediation; the adaptations to be executed (or not, depending upon the prevailing environmental circumstances) causally mediate the effects of the ecological contingencies upon the fitness outcomes. Thus, the process of mediation can be generally conceptualized as a causal chain of events leading to a given outcome or set of outcomes. If a predictor variable operates through an intervening variable to affect a criterion variable, then mediation is said to exist. Nevertheless, it does not appear that some psychologists (particularly evolutionary-social psychologists) are sufficiently well-versed in the fundamental logic and quantitative methodology of establishing causal mediation to support such claims. In the current paper, we set out to review the ways researchers support their use of mediation statements and also propose critical considerations on this front. We start with more conventional methods for testing mediation, discuss variants of the conventional approach, discuss the limitations of such methods as we see them, and end with our preferred mediation approach. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v04i1_figueredo3
{"title":"Revisiting Mediation in the Social and Behavioral Sciences","authors":"A. Figueredo, R. García, T. C. Baca, J. C. Gable, Dave Weise","doi":"10.2458/V4I1.17761","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V4I1.17761","url":null,"abstract":"The process of mediation is of critical importance to the social and behavioral sciences and to evolutionary social psychology in particular. As with the concept of evolutionary adaptation, however, one can argue that causal mediation is in need of explicit theoretical justification and empirical support. Mainstream evolutionary social psychology proposes, for example, that organisms are “adaptation executers”, and not “fitness maximizers”. The execution of adaptations is triggered by fitness-relevant ecological contingencies at both ultimate and proximate levels of analysis. This logic is essentially equivalent to what methodologists refer to as the process of mediation; the adaptations to be executed (or not, depending upon the prevailing environmental circumstances) causally mediate the effects of the ecological contingencies upon the fitness outcomes. Thus, the process of mediation can be generally conceptualized as a causal chain of events leading to a given outcome or set of outcomes. If a predictor variable operates through an intervening variable to affect a criterion variable, then mediation is said to exist. Nevertheless, it does not appear that some psychologists (particularly evolutionary-social psychologists) are sufficiently well-versed in the fundamental logic and quantitative methodology of establishing causal mediation to support such claims. In the current paper, we set out to review the ways researchers support their use of mediation statements and also propose critical considerations on this front. We start with more conventional methods for testing mediation, discuss variants of the conventional approach, discuss the limitations of such methods as we see them, and end with our preferred mediation approach. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v04i1_figueredo3","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"4 1","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V4I1.17761","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In Figueredo, Black, and Scott (this issue), we presented the rationale for a complementary meta-analytic method to accompany traditional effects meta-analytic procedures. Here, we provide an example using Contents Meta-Analysis so that readers can become familiar with the application of the method and the implications of its use. This illustration will be presented in two major sections. First, we will describe an empirical example of a meta-analysis on retention in higher education where a Contents Meta-Analysis was conducted. Then we will show how the information gained in the Contents Meta-Analysis may be applied to address issues of generalizability. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i2_figueredo
{"title":"Complementary Meta-Analytic Methods for the Quantitative Review of Research: 2. An Extended Illustration","authors":"A. Figueredo, Candace J Black, A. Scott","doi":"10.2458/V4I2.17936","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2458/V4I2.17936","url":null,"abstract":"In Figueredo, Black, and Scott (this issue), we presented the rationale for a complementary meta-analytic method to accompany traditional effects meta-analytic procedures. Here, we provide an example using Contents Meta-Analysis so that readers can become familiar with the application of the method and the implications of its use. This illustration will be presented in two major sections. First, we will describe an empirical example of a meta-analysis on retention in higher education where a Contents Meta-Analysis was conducted. Then we will show how the information gained in the Contents Meta-Analysis may be applied to address issues of generalizability. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i2_figueredo","PeriodicalId":90602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of methods and measurement in the social sciences","volume":"4 1","pages":"46-67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2458/V4I2.17936","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69067546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：