The measurement of self-esteem: Refining our methods.

Studied measurement problems in assessing self-esteem and the employment of more than 1 type of self-esteem instrument by administering 8 measures of self-esteem involving self-reports, ratings by others, and a projective instrument to 9th and 10th graders. A total of 55 Ss were involved, but each S was not administered every instrument. Intercorrelation of scores were examined to provide preliminary validational evidence; then, confirmatory factor analysis was used to construct measurement models and further assess the validity of the measures. Results suggest that 2 traditional questionnaires (the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale) and a personal interview were valid in measuring experienced self-esteem, and 3 measures involving ratings by others were valid in measuring presented self-esteem. Findings are consistent with previous multidimensional conceptualizations of self-esteem, indicating that a variety of methods is necessary to adequately measure self-concept. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relative power of training evaluation designs under different cost configurations.

After noting that the statistical power of training evaluation designs is a complex function of sample size, the reliability of the dependent measure, the correlation between pre- and posttest measures, and whether a randomized pretest–posttest or randomized posttest-only design is used, the authors show that the costs of conducting an evaluation are important considerations that also affect the relative power of the designs. Specifically, S costs, administrative costs, and item development costs are different components that can absorb resources when training evaluations are conducted. When total cost resources are fixed, these separate costs affect the relative power of pretest–posttest and posttest-only designs differently, and the posttest-only design may be the more preferred design under many different conditions. In other words, a variety of design and parameter tradeoffs affect power when total costs are fixed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reconsidering formative measurement.

The relationship between observable responses and the latent constructs they are purported to measure has received considerable attention recently, with particular focus on what has become known as formative measurement. This alternative to reflective measurement in the area of theory-testing research is examined in the context of the potential for interpretational confounding and a construct's ability to function as a point variable within a larger model. Although these issues have been addressed in the traditional reflective measurement context, the authors suggest that they are particularly relevant in evaluating formative measurement models. On the basis of this analysis, the authors conclude that formative measurement is not an equally attractive alternative to reflective measurement and that whenever possible, in developing new measures or choosing among alternative existing measures, researchers should opt for reflective measurement. In addition, the authors provide guidelines for researchers dealing with existing formative measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conceptualization and measurement of ethnic identity: Current status and future directions.

In this article, the authors examine the conceptualization and measurement of ethnic identity as a multidimensional, dynamic construct that develops over time through a process of exploration and commitment. The authors discuss the components of ethnic identity that have been studied and the theoretical background for a developmental model of ethnic identity. The authors review research on the measurement of ethnic identity using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (J. Phinney, 1992) and present a revised version of the measure. The authors conclude with a consideration of the measurement issues raised by J. E. Helms (2007) and K. Cokley (2007) and suggestions for future research on ethnic identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incremental Validity of New Clinical Assessment Measures.

The authors address conceptual and methodological foundations of incremental validity in the evaluation of newly developed clinical assessment measures. Incremental validity is defined as the degree to which a measure explains or predicts a phenomenon of interest, relative to other measures. Incremental validity can be evaluated on several dimensions, such as sensitivity to change, diagnostic efficacy, content validity, treatment design and outcome, and convergent validity. Indices of incremental validity can vary depending on the criterion measures, comparison measures, and individual differences in samples. The authors review the rationale for, principles, and methods of incremental validation, including the selection of comparison and criterion measures, and address data analytic strategies and the conditional nature of incremental validity evaluations in the selection of measures. Incremental validity contributes to, but is different from, cost-benefits, which reflect the cost of acquiring the data and the benefits from the data. The impact of an incremental validity index on whether a measure is selected will be moderated by the cost of acquiring the new data, the importance of the measured phenomenon, and the clinical utility of the new data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development and validation of the Workplace Ostracism Scale.

This article outlines the development of a 10-item measure of workplace ostracism. Using 6 samples (including multisource and multiwave data), the authors developed a reliable scale with a unidimensional factor structure that replicated across 4 separate samples. The scale possessed both convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity was demonstrated through the scale's relation with basic needs, well-being, job attitudes, job performance, and withdrawal. Overall, the present study suggests that the Workplace Ostracism Scale is a reliable and valid measure and that the workplace ostracism construct has important implications for both individuals and organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Body concept: A conceptualization and review of paper-and-pencil measures.

Reviews various attempts to define and measure body self-concept. The relationship between body and general self-concept was examined, and a breakdown of the body self-concept for purposes of measurement was proposed. Psychometric qualities of paper-and-pencil measures of body self-concept are considered, and recommendations regarding design of future instruments of this type are made. The authors suggest that when studying general self-concept, one should be alert to the fact that body self-concept is a separate, distinct construct forming a unique and independent psychological dimension. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Time urgency: Conceptual and construct development.

Although time urgency is seen as unidimensional in traditional measures of the Type A behavior pattern, F. J. Landy, H. Rastegary, J. Thayer, and C. Colvin (see record 1992-03955-001) concluded that it is a multidimensional construct. They developed behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) that correspond to 7 dimensions of time urgency. This multitrait-multimethod study used 4 raters' evaluations of 183 students at 2 times to examine the construct validity of the BARS measures. This study also investigated environmental and individual difference variables that were linked to time urgency. Confirmatory factor analyses failed to support a hypothesized 7-dimension, 4-method solution but did show good fit indices for a 5-dimension, 4-method model. Potential directions for future research on time urgency are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality measurement, faking, and employment selection.

Real job applicants completed a 5-factor model personality measure as part of the job application process. They were rejected; 6 months later they (n = 5,266) reapplied for the same job and completed the same personality measure. Results indicated that 5.2% or fewer improved their scores on any scale on the 2nd occasion; moreover, scale scores were as likely to change in the negative direction as the positive. Only 3 applicants changed scores on all 5 scales beyond a 95% confidence threshold. Construct validity of the personality scales remained intact across the 2 administrations, and the same structural model provided an acceptable fit to the scale score matrix on both occasions. For the small number of applicants whose scores changed beyond the standard error of measurement, the authors found the changes were systematic and predictable using measures of social skill, social desirability, and integrity. Results suggest that faking on personality measures is not a significant problem in real-world selection settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a Multidimensional Performance Measure for International Joint Ventures in Construction

Measuring the performance of joint ventures has been an important research topic for a few decades. No consensus on an appropriate definition and measurement of performance of international joint ventures (IJVs) has yet emerged, and the validity of the underlying measures is still questionable. In this study, the construct validity of measures that define IJV performance in construction is evaluated using data obtained through a questionnaire survey. A second-order performance construct is proposed, which is measured by means of project performance, partner performance, performance of IJV management, and perceived satisfaction with IJV. The validity of the performance measures is evaluated by means of tests that assess content validity, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. The findings reveal that all proposed indicators are valid measures of IJV performance and that they correspond to different dimensions of performance. This research is expected to trigger further work on developing a multidimensional performance measure for IJVs in construction. In addition, the findings can help practitioners reflect on how they operate and measure the success of their IJVs.     

Measuring team knowledge: A window to the cognitive underpinnings of team performance.

The authors report an effort aimed at developing and evaluating measures of taskwork and teamwork team knowledge for teams in which members differ in knowledge backgrounds. These measures were used in a study with 36 teams to explore the cognitive underpinnings of team performance variations due to cross-training regime. The authors demonstrate that these measures are valid and provide team performance information that complements outcome and behavioral measures. Teams exposed to full cross-training acquired more taskwork and teamwork knowledge than control teams or teams exposed to a conceptual version of cross-training. Measures of team knowledge provide information regarding team task performance critical for system design and training programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A short, valid, predictive measure of work–family conflict: Item selection and scale validation.

The purpose of this research is to develop an abbreviated version of Carlson, Kacmar, and Williams’s (2000) multidimensional measure of work–family conflict. The abbreviated measure would have high utility in research situations in which a measure representative of the entire theoretical construct is desired, but the use of a long measure is precluded, as in diary and longitudinal designs. Two 3-item abbreviated measures based on Carlson et al.’s multidimensional measures were developed, 1 to assess work-to-family conflict and 1 to assess family-to-work conflict. Two samples were used to provide concurrent and predictive validity evidence for the abbreviated measure. Results from Study 1 indicate that the abbreviated measure has the expected factor structure and exhibited concurrent and predictive validity that replicated results found with Carlson et al.’s 18-item measure. Results from Study 2 provide additional psychometric and construct validity evidence for the abbreviated measure; the abbreviated measure was internally consistent, exhibited good test–retest reliability, and was systematically related to measures of role stressors, work–family balance, and well-being outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mutually responsive orientation between parents and their young children: Toward methodological advances in the science of relationships.

The authors captured mother-child and father-child relationships when children were 7 and 15 months old by coding 4 explicitly dyadic components of mutually responsive orientation (MRO): coordinated routines, harmonious communication, mutual cooperation, and emotional ambiance. These components were coded in 102 families in naturalistic contexts at home and in the laboratory. Using confirmatory factor analytic methods, the authors demonstrated that MRO (a) is a unidimensional latent construct, (b) can be distinguished from and is not reducible to the 2 interacting individuals' qualities (responsiveness and positive affect), and (c) has remarkable measurement equivalence from ages 7 to 15 months for both mother-child and father-child relationships and has remarkable measurement equivalence across both parent-child relationships at both child ages. This study represents an effort to advance the science of relationships by moving away from individual-based measures to dyadic measures and by using contemporary data analytic strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

数字化测量技术在矿山测量中的应用

随着现代科技的不断发展,在露天矿测量工作中数字化测量技术应用非常普遍,其中以GPS测量技术、RTK技术、三维激扫描技术为代表。受矿山布局复杂性和传统测量方式局限性的影响,矿山测量难题得不到有效解决,本文通过对数字化测量技术的分析,提出一套新的矿山测量设计,以期能够提高测量效率,从而帮助企业降低测量成本。     

Psychological collectivism: A measurement validation and linkage to group member performance.

The 3 studies presented here introduce a new measure of the individual-difference form of collectivism. Psychological collectivism is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct with the following 5 facets: preference for in-groups, reliance on in-groups, concern for in-groups, acceptance of in-group norms, and prioritization of in-group goals. Study 1 developed and tested the new measure in a sample of consultants. Study 2 cross-validated the measure using an alumni sample of a Southeastern university, assessing its convergent validity with other collectivism measures. Study 3 linked scores on the measure to 4 dimensions of group member performance (task performance, citizenship behavior, counterproductive behavior, and withdrawal behavior) in a computer software firm and assessed discriminant validity using the Big Five. The results of the studies support the construct validity of the measure and illustrate the potential value of collectivism as a predictor of group member performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues of measurement and mechanism in meta-analyses: Comment on Westen and Morrision (2001).

The authors suggest that D. Westen and K. Morrison's (2001) meta-analysis of treatment (see record 2001-05666-001) is critically limited in the consideration of measurement and mechanisms of therapeutic change. The measures included in the analysis fail to represent a comprehensive coverage of the domains within which change is expected. Moreover, they do not measure the theoretically derived constructs currently conceived as being central to each disorder. Further, the particular meta-analytical approach taken prohibits evaluation of the treatment components responsible for change. The authors reviewed the most recent data on comorbidity as an issue of treatment efficacy and generalizability, proffer an interpretation for the difference in outcome results across the 3 diagnostic groups, and discuss internally valid methodologies for the bridging from research to clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the validity of self-report assessments of family functioning: A question of the level of analysis.

Family assessment instruments attempt to measure family functioning at a particular level of the family system: individual, dyad, or family as a whole. This article introduces the concept of level validity, that is, whether an assessment measures family functioning at the level that it was intended to measure. The authors argue that whenever higher-order factors (e.g., dyadic subsystems) are the target of a measure, these factors should explain variance that is independent of their lower-order constituents (e.g., individual-level characteristics). Previously published data targeting dyadic subsystems within the family were reanalyzed using a model that controls for lower-order effects. Dyad-level factors rarely emerged independent of individual-level factors and, when they did, they did not replicate across samples. The results suggest that level validity should be tested and reported along with other aspects of construct validity before accepting such measures as valid assessments of family functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of scales measuring attitudes and norms related to mammography screening in women veterans.

Validation of psychosocial measures for use in mammography screening research has been given inadequate attention in the literature. The authors report on the validation of 5 measures examining 4 attitudinal constructs (i.e., pros, cons, outcome expectations, and cancer worries) and 1 social influence construct (i.e., subjective norms) in a 22-item inventory. The study participants consisted of a national, randomly sampled population of women veterans (n = 2,910). After minor revision of scales, the authors found independent measures for 4 constructs: pros, cons, cancer worries, and subjective norms. The authors concluded that these scales have acceptable psychometric properties; support construct validity; and provide brief, reliable, and valid measures of attitudes toward and norms regarding mammography screening. These scales may be useful for intervention research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Shyness: Conceptualization and measurement.

Examined the concept of shyness and its measurement by collecting and analyzing data in 3 phases: (1) the revision and continued development of a measure of shyness, the Social Reticence Scale (SRS), which was designed by W. H. Jones and D. Russell (see record 1983-09411-001); (2) a psychometric comparison among 5 measures of shyness; and (3) an examination of the factor structure underlying the construct of shyness. Phase 1 assessed the reliability (n?=?252 college students) and validity (n?=?164 college students) of the SRS, including ratings of videotaped monologs and ratings by significant others. Phase 2, using 1,213 Ss (aged 15–25 yrs), compared the 5 shyness measures with one another on indices of internal consistency and with other relevant measures of emotionality, personality, relationships, and behavior. Items from the 5 shyness measures were combined in a factor analysis in Phase 3, and the resulting factors were correlated with the self-report and rating data obtained in Phase 2. Results confirmed that the shyness measures were valid, reliable, and empirically distinct from measures of related constructs. Behavioral validity was observed for several of the shyness scales. Additional analyses suggested that 3 interpretable factors underlie responses to the shyness scale—Social Avoidance and Distress, Social Facility, and Fear of High Status Others—but provided little support for drawing conceptual distinctions among types of shyness. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of multidimensional coping: Task, emotion, and avoidance strategies.

Reports 4 studies on the psychometric properties of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Study 1 examined the factor structure of the CISS in samples of 832 college students and 483 adults. Strong support was found for the multidimensionality of the CISS, suggesting that the scale independently assesses 3 basic dimensions: task-, emotion-, and avoidance-oriented coping. Study 2 further investigated the construct validity of the CISS by comparing it with 2 measures of basic coping styles. Study 3 also examined the construct validity of the CISS by comparing it with various measures of psychopathology. Study 4 investigated the concurrent validity of the CISS by studying the relationship between coping style (assessed by the CISS) and situation-specific coping responses used in 2 different stressful situations. Overall, the results of the 4 studies suggest that the CISS is a valid and reliable measure of basic coping styles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)