On the fit of models to covariances and methodology to the Bulletin..

Notes that 7 of the 10 top-cited articles in the Psychological Bulletin deal with methodological topics. One of these is the P. M. Bentler and D. G. Bonett (1980) article on the assessment of fit in covariance structure models. Some context is provided on the popularity of this article. In addition, a citation study of methodology articles appearing in the Bulletin since 1978 was carried out. It verified that publications in design, evaluation, measurement, and statistics continue to be important to psychological research. Some thoughts are offered on the role of the journal in making developments in these areas more accessible to psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of subjective female orgasmic responsiveness.

Results of psychological research show that although female orgasm appears to be a single process physiologically, subjective reports by women indicate that individual differences in their experience are multidimensional. The basis for the discrepant findings was analyzed in 2 studies of reported orgasmic experiences in women. One sample of 115 sexually experienced women (aged 18–52 yrs) yielded data that replicated the finding that coital and masturbatory orgasmic responsiveness can be statistically distinguished and independently assessed, thus indicating that sample selection associated with prior research could not explain the result. A separate sample of 101 sexually experienced women (aged 18–58 yrs) were given an instrument that assessed coital responsiveness but differentiated masturbatory responsiveness into dimensions associated with masturbation when alone and with a partner without intercourse. A confirmatory factor analysis substantiated the existence of the 3 dimensions of female orgasm. However, female orgasmic responsiveness was highly correlated across the 3 dimensions so that it was possible to isolate a large 2nd-order factor of general orgasmic responsiveness that is consistent with most of the physiological evidence on the unitary nature of orgasm. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative fit indexes in structural models.

Normed and nonnormed fit indexes are frequently used as adjuncts to chi-square statistics for evaluating the fit of a structural model. A drawback of existing indexes is that they estimate no known population parameters. A new coefficient is proposed to summarize the relative reduction in the noncentrality parameters of 2 nested models. Two estimators of the coefficient yield new normed (CFIN) and nonnormed (FIN) fit indexes. CFIN avoids the underestimation of fit often noted in small samples for P. M. Bentler and D. G. Bonett's (see record 1981-06898-001) normed fit index (NFIN). FIN is a linear function of Bentler and Bonett's nonnormed fit index (NNFIN) that avoids the extreme underestimation and overestimation often found in NNFIN. Asymptotically, CFIN, FIN, NFIN, and a new index developed by K. A. Bollen (1989) are equivalent measures of comparative fit, whereas NNFIN measures relative fit by comparing noncentrality per degree of freedom. All of the indexes are generalized to permit use of Wald and Lagrange multiplier statistics. An example illustrates the behavior of these indexes under conditions of correct specification and misspecification. The new fit indexes perform very well at all sample sizes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Limited Information Estimation in Binary Factor Analysis: A Review and Extension

Based on the Bayes modal estimate of factor scores in binary latent variable models, this paper proposes two new limited information estimators for the factor analysis model with a logistic link function for binary data based on Bernoulli distributions up to the second and the third order with maximum likelihood estimation and Laplace approximations to required integrals. These estimators and two existing limited information weighted least squares estimators are studied empirically. The limited information estimators compare favorably to full information estimators based on marginal maximum likelihood, MCMC, and multinomial distribution with a Laplace approximation methodology. Among the various estimators, Maydeu-Olivares and Joe's (2005) weighted least squares limited information estimators implemented with Laplace approximations for probabilities are shown in a simulation to have the best root mean square errors.     

Determinants of sexual and dating behaviors among adolescents.

Data on sexual behavior were obtained from 183 male and 193 female 12–18 yr olds, selected from 3 birth cohorts using a stratified random sample. Eight latent constructs—sexual and dating involvement, self-acceptance, feminist sex-role attitudes, deviant social network, importance of dating, lack of heterosexual competence, sexually active social network, and stressful change events—were hypothesized to explain the variance in 26 observed variables. Several causal models were tested that specified structural relationships among the latent constructs. A theoretically meaningful model was arrived at that linked the 8 error-free factors. This model indicates that dating and sexual involvement was a direct function only of the importance of dating, which in turn was positively related to self-acceptance and stressful changes and negatively related to lack of heterosexual competence. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive motivations for drug use among adolescents: Longitudinal tests of gender differences and predictors of change in drug use.

Four factors were found to reflect 15 reasons for drug use, Enhance Positive Affect and Creativity, Reduce Negative Affect, Social Cohesion, and Addiction. These factors were found to reflect second-order latent factors of Alcohol Motivations as well as Cannabis Motivations and to be invariant by sex. All Alcohol and Cannabis Motivation scales were significantly correlated with actual use of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and hard drugs. In both bivariate and latent variable longitudinal analyses over a 1-yr period, motivations for alcohol use increased actual use of alcohol, whereas motivations for cannabis use increased all types of drug use. Very similar patterns of effects were noted for boys and girls. We conclude that self-acknowledged cognitive motivations or reasons for drug use are important etiological factors in understanding actual drug-use behavior and discuss the counseling and prevention implications of these results. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of linear and monotone multidimensional scaling models.

Multidimensional scaling solutions under the linear and monotone (metric and nonmetric) distance models were compared, in a simulation study, for several monotone and nonmonotone distortions. Data were generated from random configurations, over a wide range of conditions. Results indicate that, when its assumptions are met, the linear model performs best. When linearity assumptions are not met, the monotone model and the linear model applied to ranked data perform equally well. Recommendations based on these results are offered. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simple minitheories of love.

Developed 2 causal models of love as alternatives to the A. Tesser and D. L. Paulhus (see record 1978-21448-001) theory. These models were tested for adequacy of fit using maximum-likelihood methods. While the Tesser-Paulhus models can be rejected empirically, the alternate models provide acceptable statistical representations of 4 variables measuring love at 2 times separated by 2 wks. One formulation is based on the idea of unidimensionality of interpersonal attraction. The 2nd formulation represents a refinement of the Tesser-Paulhus view of love. The formulation based on the idea that interpersonal attraction is primarily a unidimensional construct provides the more parsimonious and interpretable theory. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does hearing aid benefit increase over time?

In a recent tutorial for the journal, Palmer et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 1705-1721 (1998)] reviewed the literature on the potential for increases in hearing aid benefit over time (acclimatization). Their review might leave some readers with the impression that acclimatization has implications for the fitting and selection of hearing aids today. We (Turner and Bentler), along with two other researchers in the field (Humes and Cox), conducted a similar review of the literature a few years earlier [Turner et al., Ear and Hearing 17, 14S-28S (1996)] and found little evidence of a robust effect. The bulk of the existing evidence, including the most recent studies on this topic, support earlier conclusions, i.e., that there is no evidence for the existence of a strong acclimatization effect in current hearing aid use.