Symmetry considerations are important in science, and Group Theory is a theory of symmetry. Classical Measurement Theory is the most used measurement theory in the social and behavioral sciences. In this article, the author uses Matrix Lie (Lee) group theory to formulate a measurement model. Symmetry is defined and illustrated using symmetries of…

The frequent practice of overall fit evaluation for latent variable models in educational and behavioral research is reconsidered. It is argued that since overall plausibility does not imply local plausibility and is only necessary for the latter, local misfit should be considered a sufficient condition for model rejection, even in the case of…

The detection of differential item functioning (DIF) is important in psychological and behavioral sciences. Standard DIF detection methods perform an item-by-item test iteratively, often assuming that all items except the one under investigation are DIF-free. This article proposes a Bayesian adaptive Lasso method to detect DIF in graded response…

It is demonstrated that the popular three-parameter logistic model can lead to markedly inaccurate individual ability level estimates for mixture populations. A theoretically and empirically important setting is initially considered where (a) in one of two subpopulations (latent classes) the two-parameter logistic model holds for each item in a…

Background: Africa is increasingly becoming an important region for health research, mainly due to its heavy burden of disease, socioeconomic challenges, and inadequate health facilities. Regulatory capacities, in terms of ethical review processes, are also generally weak. The ethical assessment of social and behavioral research is relatively…

Purpose: Repeated duration data are frequently used in behavioral studies. Classical linear or log-linear mixed models are often inadequate to analyze such data, because they usually consist of nonnegative and skew-distributed variables. Therefore, we recommend use of a statistical methodology specific to duration data. Method: We propose a…

Preferences are influenced by the presence or absence of salient choice options, known as reference points. This behavioral tendency is traditionally attributed to the loss aversion and diminishing sensitivity assumptions of prospect theory. In contrast, some psychological research suggests that reference dependence is caused by attentional biases…

The field of educating individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder has ever been rife with controversy regarding issues ranging from etiology and causation to effective intervention and education options. One such basis for controversy has been between humanism, and humanistic philosophical concepts, and its fundamental differences with behaviorism,…

The value of an outcome is affected both by the delay until its receipt (delay discounting) and by the likelihood of its receipt (probability discounting). Despite being well-described by the same hyperboloid function, delay and probability discounting involve fundamentally different processes, as revealed, for example, by the differential effects…

Direct observation recording procedures produce reductive summary measurements of an underlying stream of behavior. Previous methodological studies of these recording procedures have employed simulation methods for generating random behavior streams, many of which amount to special cases of a statistical model known as the alternating renewal…

Self-injurious behaviors (SIB) are problematic for many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Existing models to explain factors contributing to SIB fail to account for a large proportion of variance in SIB. This study attempted to explain a greater proportion of variance in SIB by addressing methodological/theoretical limitations in…

Robert Bostrom's seminal contributions to listening theory and research represent an impressive legacy and provide listening scholars with important perspectives on the complexities of listening cognition and behavior. Bostrom's work provides a solid foundation on which to build models that more realistically explain how listeners function…

Does modeling matter? We address this question by providing a broad survey of the computational models of cognitive development that have been proposed and studied over the last three decades. We begin by noting the advantages and limitations of computational models. We then describe four key dimensions across which models of development can be…

The author considers the application of transactional analysis (TA) in the field of education. Initially, the focus is on the use of TA in reducing conflict in the classroom and staffroom before offering observations about its broader relevance to contemporary UK schooling. Concepts covered include the egostate model of personality, functional…

Joseph V. Brady (1922-2011) created behavior-analytic neuroscience and the analytic framework for understanding how the external and internal neurobiological environments and mechanisms interact. Brady's approach offered synthesis as well as analysis. He embraced Findley's approach to constructing multioperant behavioral repertoires that found…