What is the nature of the association between age (7-11 years) and performance on mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 7 + 4 + 5 + 7 + _)? Many prevailing theories suggest that there should be a positive association. However, change-resistance accounts (e.g., N. M. McNeil & M. W. Alibali, 2005b) predict a U-shaped association. The purpose of…

The topic of an optimal or utopian life has received much attention across the humanities and the arts but not in psychology. The German concept of Sehnsucht captures individual and collective thoughts and feelings about one's optimal or utopian life. Sehnsucht (life longings; LLs) is defined as an intense desire for alternative states and…

How accurate are self-estimates of cognitive abilities? An investigation of self-estimates of verbal, math, and spatial abilities is reported with a battery of parallel objective tests of abilities. Self-estimates were obtained prior to and after objective ability testing (without test feedback) in order to examine whether self-estimates change…

Instructional strategies for teaching concepts have long been identified. Less commonly studied is a learner's level of confidence and certitude in their knowledge based upon exposure to these instructional treatments. This experimental research study used an instrument referred to as the Spatial Probability Measure (SPM) to solicit levels of…

In an Angoff standard setting procedure, judges estimate the probability that a hypothetical randomly selected minimally competent candidate will answer correctly each item in the test. In many cases, these item performance estimates are made twice, with information shared with the panelists between estimates. Especially for long tests, this…

Many statistical tests are designed to test the different assumptions of the Rasch model, but only few are directed at detecting multidimensionality. The Martin-Lof test is an attractive approach, the disadvantage being that its null distribution deviates strongly from the asymptotic chi-square distribution for most realistic sample sizes. A Monte…

This field exercise examines the feeding preferences of Gray Squirrels ("Sciurus carolinensis"). Students present squirrels with a variety of food types in a cafeteria-style arrangement in order to test hypotheses about foraging preferences. This exercise, which is appropriate for introductory biology, ecology, and animal behavior classes, is…

Accrediting bodies, including Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB), require evidence that business schools fulfill their stated missions. This often involves using the Major Field Achievement Test in Business (MFAT-B). In this article, the authors studied MFAT-B performance for its relationship to grade point…

[alpha]CaMKII[superscript T286A] mutant mice lack long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 region and are impaired in spatial learning. In situ hybridization confirms that the mutant mice show the same developmental expression of [alpha]CaMKII as their wild-type littermates. A simple hypothesis would suggest that if LTP is a substrate…

DETECT is a nonparametric "full" dimensionality assessment procedure that clusters dichotomously scored items into dimensions and provides a DETECT index of magnitude of multidimensionality. Four factors (test length, sample size, item response theory [IRT] model, and DETECT index) were manipulated in a Monte Carlo study of bias, standard error,…

With the rise of teacher testing, foundations scholars need to work together to ensure their courses remain a part of initial teacher credentialing. Many foundations people distrust teacher qualifying exams and accrediting organizations. Some scholars complain that the teacher tests discriminate against members of minority groups. Other professors…

In this article, the author reviews the Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd edition (BDI-2), a criterion-referenced, individually administered, standardized assessment used to measure the developmental skills in children aged birth through 7 years, 11 months. The BDI-2 is composed of 450 items grouped into five domains (Adaptive,…

A 2-year longitudinal study was carried out to test the hypothesis that children's word-specific learning of inflectional spellings is an essential first step in their acquiring an understanding of morphological rules for spelling inflections. Ninety children, who were 6-years-old at the start of the project, were asked to spell pseudowords and…

Because evolution in natural systems happens so slowly, it is difficult to design inquiry-based labs where students can experiment and observe evolution in the way they can when studying other phenomena. New research in evolutionary computation and artificial life provides a solution to this problem. This paper describes a new A-Life software…

Although it is important to evaluate the intended outcomes of high-stakes testing, it is also important to evaluate the unintended outcomes, which might be as important or more important than the intended outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the unintended outcomes of high-stakes testing, including those related to: (a) using…