Invited Commentary: Comparing the Independent Segments Procedure with Group Sequential Designs

Psychological science would become more efficient if researchers implemented sequential designs where feasible. Miller and Ulrich (2020) propose an independent segments procedure where data can be analyzed at a prespecified number of equally spaced looks while controlling the Type 1 error rate. Such procedures already exist in the sequential analysis literature, and in this commentary I reflect on whether psychologist should choose to adopt these existing procedure instead. I believe limitations in the independent segments procedure make it relatively unattractive. Being forced to stop for futility based on a bound not chosen to control Type 2 errors, or reject a smallest effect size of interest in an equivalence test, limit the inferences one can make. Having to use a prespecified number of equally spaced looks is logistically inconvenient. And not having the flexibility to choose α and β spending functions limit the possibility to design efficient studies based on the goal and limitations of the researcher. Recent software packages such as rpact (Wassmer & Pahlke, 2019) make sequential designs equally easy to perform as the independent segments procedure. While learning new statistical methods always takes time, I believe psychological scientists should start on a path that will not limit them in the flexibility and inferences their statistical procedure provides.

Quantile Based Statistical Failure Analysis for Wafer Level Test Comparison

In semiconductor manufacturing or testing, when changing the items such as parts, materials or equipment, many engineers use the equivalence test to hedge the risk of new process. Equivalence Test Procedure (ETP) uses a modified algorithm of Cohen's d and F-ratio for comparing two test samples when it evaluates the statistical allowance in the second stage. These logics are estimated under the assumption of normality for the underlying population. However, there are many wafer level test items such as Fail Bit Count (FBC) where their populations are non-normal distribution. Because the standard deviation in the two algorithms is over-estimated in wafer level test distribution, the two algorithms fail to represent the size of difference for the two samples exactly. Therefore, we introduce quantile comparison equivalence criteria (QCEC) which is robust to overall data distribution and outlier-free. To instruct engineers about the change cause of the data distribution, we create new statistics called ‘Center or Dispersion’ (CoD) that distinguish between center difference and dispersion difference. For practical application, we conduct the case study on Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) FBC data. For wafer level test 199 items, it is found that the QCEC's accuracy improves by 20% compared to the accuracy of Cohen's d. It also shows a 75% improvement over the accuracy of the F-ratio.

Psychopathy and Economic Behavior Among Prison Inmates: An Experiment

This paper investigates whether there is a connection between psychopathy and certain manifestations of social and economic behavior, measured in a lab-in-the-field experiment with prison inmates. In order to test this main hypothesis, we let inmates play four games that have often been used to measure prosocial and antisocial behavior in previous experimental economics literature. Specifically, they play a prisoner's dilemma, a trust game, the equality equivalence test that elicits distributional preferences, and a corruption game. Psychopathy is measured by means of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) questionnaire, which inmates filled out after having made their decisions in the four games. We find that higher scores in the LSRP are significantly correlated with anti-social behavior in the form of weaker reciprocity, lower cooperation, lower benevolence and more bribe-oriented decisions in the corruption game. In particular, not cooperating and bribe-maximizing decisions are associated with significantly higher LSRP primary and LSRP secondary scores. Not reciprocating is associated with higher LSRP primary and being spiteful with higher LSRP secondary scores.

What to make of equivalence testing with a post-specified margin?

In order to determine whether or not an effect is absent based on a statistical test, the recommended frequentist tool is the equivalence test. Typically, it is expected that an appropriate equivalence margin has been specified before any data are observed. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult task. If the margin is too small, then the test's power will be substantially reduced. If the margin is too large, any claims of equivalence will be meaningless. Moreover, it remains unclear how defining the margin afterwards will bias one's results. In this short article, we consider a series of hypothetical scenarios in which the margin is defined post-hoc or is otherwise considered controversial. We also review a number of relevant, potentially problematic actual studies from the clinical trials research, with the aim of motivating a critical discussion as to what is acceptable and desirable in the reporting and interpretation of equivalence tests.

Application of multicultural-based learning model syntax of social studies learning

This study analyses the differences in knowledge, attitudes and multicultural skills of primary school students divided into two learning models, namely a multicultural-based learning model and a student team achievement division (STAD). This study used a quasi-experiment with two control classes and two experimental classes which were determined through random sampling. Prior to being randomised, an equivalence test was carried out to ensure all classes were equal. The experiment used was a post-test-only control group design with multicultural knowledge test instruments, multicultural attitude inventories and observation guidelines of multicultural skills. The results show that the multicultural knowledge, attitudes and skills of students who took multicultural-based learning model syntax were better than students who took the STAD type of cooperative learning model. The mean score of multicultural knowledge, multicultural attitudes and multicultural skills were 25.60, 147.95 and 121.05, respectively. Meanwhile, students who took the STAD learning model showed the mean score of multicultural knowledge, multicultural attitudes and multicultural skills were 22.88, 128.08 and 114.27, respectively. The syntax of a local genius-based learning model is easier for teachers and students to understand the learning steps. This makes learning more challenging, fun, values-based and meaningful for students’ real lives. Keywords: Model syntax, multicultural, knowledge, attitude, skill.

Establishment of a New Biomechanical Measurement Method for Surface Deformation of Bone by Force Application via Dental Implants—A Pilot Study

Purpose: To date, the qualitative and quantitative recording of biomechanical processes in dental implants represents one of the greatest challenges in modern dentistry. Modern, dynamic, 3D optical measurement techniques allow highly constant and highly accurate measurement of biomechanical processes and can be superior to conventional methods. This work serves to establish a new measurement method. Materials and Methods: A comparative analysis was undertaken for two different measurement systems, two conventional strain gauges versus the 3D optical two-camera measurement system ARAMIS (GOM GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany), as they detected surface changes on an artificial bone block under masticatory force application. Two implants (Straumann Standard Implants Regular Neck, Straumann GmbH, Freiburg, Germany) were placed in the bone block, and three different three-unit bridges were fabricated. Increasing masticatory forces, from 0 to 200 N, were applied to the bone block via each of these bridges and the inserted implants. Fifteen repetitions of the test were performed using a universal testing machine. The computer unit of the ARAMIS system was used to simultaneously integrate the surface changes recorded by the strain gauges and the ARAMIS system. The areas on the bone block examined by the dynamic 3D optical measurement method corresponded exactly to the locations and extent of the strain gauges. A statistical comparative analysis was carried out separately for the strain gauges and the corresponding optical measuring surface at the defined force magnitudes. The equivalence test and the intraclass correlation served as statistical means. Results: In the case of the intraclass correlation, a clear concordance of both measurement methods could be shown for all examined cases. For the equivalence test, no significance could be shown in individual cases. Conclusion: The accuracy of the modern, dynamic, 3D optical measurement method is comparable to that of conventional strain gauges. On this basis, versatile new research approaches in the field of biomechanics of dental implants can be pursued by establishing this method.

Priming exploration across domains: does search in a spatial environment influence search in a cognitive environment?

Is there a general tendency to explore that connects search behaviour across different domains? Although the experimental evidence collected so far suggests an affirmative answer, this fundamental question about human behaviour remains open. A feasible way to test the domain-generality hypothesis is that of testing the so-called priming hypothesis: priming explorative behaviour in one domain should subsequently influence explorative behaviour in another domain. However, only a limited number of studies have experimentally tested this priming hypothesis, and the evidence is mixed. We tested the priming hypothesis in a registered report. We manipulated explorative behaviour in a spatial search task by randomly allocating people to search environments with resources that were either clustered together or dispersedly distributed. We hypothesized that, in a subsequent anagram task, participants who searched in clustered spatial environments would search for words in a more clustered way than participants who searched in the dispersed spatial environments. The pre-registered hypothesis was not supported. An equivalence test showed that the difference between conditions was smaller than the smallest effect size of interest ( d = 0.36). Out of several exploratory analyses, we found only one inferential result in favour of priming. We discuss implications of these findings for the theory and propose future tests of the hypothesis.