A note on "Prognostic scales in schizophrenia".

An article on prognostic scales in schizophrenia by S. L. Garfield and D. M. Sundland (see record 1966-04456-001) is criticized and several ways in which it is misleading are pointed out. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor analysis of category and magnitude scales of a technical attribute.

36 journeymen electronics maintenance personnel judged the complexity of 16 avionics circuits using the paired-comparison, magnitude-estimation, rank-order, and constant-sum procedures on 2 occasions. The basic scale values were standardized across the 16 circuits separately within each method and occasion. The standardized scale values were then intercorrelated and factor analyzed to test the hypothesis that 2 factors would account for the data. After considering 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-factor solutions, a 2-factor solution was chosen as best fitting the data. These 2 factors suggested the taxonomy of "congnitive discrimination" and "contextual uncertainty" to account for Ss' scaling behavior. Most frequently, the paired-comparison and the constant-sum methods were most heavily loaded on Factor 1, "cognitive discrimination." The rank-order and the magnitude-estimation methods were most consistently loaded heaviest on "contextual uncertainty," Factor 2. The findings are interpreted in terms of their relationship to certain customary scaling classificatory schemes. (24 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generalized Thurstone and Guttman scales for measuring technical skills in job performance.

"Check lists for use in evaluating task performance in several related naval job specialities (ratings) were shown to meet the Thurstone and Guttman scalability requirements. The Scaled Technical Proficiency Check Lists evaluate the status of a technician with reference to tasks normally performed by men of equivalent pay grade and rating. The lists contain only a relatively small number of items, so that they are simple and convenient to use. Yet, because the tasks included form a scale, the score obtained from them can be generalized in meaning to the 'universe' of tasks of which they are representative." From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4LD37S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computer generation of harmonic equihue color scales

Equihue color scales are among the simplest types of color harmonies. They are particularly suited to teach and study theories of harmony. Ordered color scales allow color coding and scientific visualization. Here we describe a teaching program that supports the study of equihue harmony. Methods for the generation of harmonies are presented, and the resulting aesthetic impressions are discussed.     

Singular perturbation analysis of systems with sustained high frequency oscillations

Using singular perturbation techniques, a system with high frequency oscillations is decomposed into two lower order subsystems, one containing only the slowly varying part and the other containing only the fast oscillatory part. Eigenvalue and state approximations achieved by the subsystems are given. A mass-spring-damper example shows that a stiff spring can be regarded as a perturbation of a rigid rod and an interconnected power system example illustrates the occurrence of coherency and inter-machine oscillations.     

Empirical findings and theoretical problems in the use of anxiety scales.

Research suggests that: (a) the performance of high anxious Ss is detrimentally affected by threatening conditions; (b) as task complexity increases the disadvantage of high to low anxious Ss increases; (c) correlations between the Taylor MA scale and intellectual measures are inconsistent, whereas measures of test anxiety correlate negatively with intellectual measures; (d) little relationship has been found between measures of anxiety and physiological indices. The methodological problems thought to be responsible for inconsistent findings are discussed. (128-item bibliogr.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of three sets of rotated factor analytic solutions of self-concept data.

"Two equated groups of 96 Ss rated the self-concept on 40 semantic scales. Each set of data was separately factor analyzed and rotated by three objective procedures. Corresponding pairs of rotated solutions were compared to determine which method yielded greatest invariance. Kaiser's normal varimax method of rotation provided the most satisfactory factor structure for interpretation. Six dimensions of the self-concept were identified, and were called Self-Confidence, Social Worth, Corpulence, Potency, Independence, and Tension-Discomfort." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working with multiscale asymptotics

This paper surveys, compares and updates techniques to obtain the asymptotic solution of the weakly nonlinear oscillator equation ÿ + y +ε f(y, $\dot{y}This paper surveys, compares and updates techniques to obtain the asymptotic solution of the weakly nonlinear oscillator equation ? + y +ε f(y, ) =0 as ε → 0 and for corresponding first-order vector systems. The solutions found by the regular perturbation method generally feature resonance and so break down as t → ∞. The classical methods of averaging and multiple scales eliminate such secular behavior and provide asymptotic solutions valid for time intervals of length t=O(ε⁻1). The renormalization group method proposed by Chen et al. [Phys. Rev. E 54 (1996) 376–394] gives equivalent results. Several well-known examples are solved with these methods to demonstrate the respective techniques and the equivalency of the approximations produced. Finally, an amplitude-equation method is derived that incorporates the best features of all these techniques. This method is both straightforward to automate with a computer-algebra system and flexible enough to allow the forcing f to depend on the small parameter This paper is dedicated to Jerry Kevorkian with sincere appreciation for his long career of dedicated teaching at the University of Washington and for his substantial contributions to multiscale asymptotics     

Complete Convergence of Competitive Neural Networks with Different Time Scales

This paper studies the complete convergence of a class of neural networks with different time scales under the assumption that the activation functions are unsaturated piecewise linear functions. Under this assumption, there are multiple equilibrium points in the neural network. Traditional methods cannot be used in this neural network. Complete convergence is proved by constructing an energy-like function. Simulations are employed to illustrate the theory.     

Measurement of attitudes toward alcohol and their relation to personality variables.

2 10-item alcohol attitude scales were developed from an available item pool. 1 scale measures favorability of attitude toward "social drinking" while the other taps attitude toward "alcoholism and the alcoholic." Scores on the scales were consistent with ratings of attitudes and of drinking behavior made from interview reports obtained from 2 college student samples participating in a longitudinal study, 92 students at Stanford University and 102 at the University of California, Berkeley. Alcohol attitudes of these groups were correlated with scores on 2 personality variables, "social maturity" and "impulse expression." Differences between the 2 samples, and between the sexes, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)