Detecting Small Taxa Using Simulated Comparison Data: A Reanalysis of Beach, Amir, and Bau's (2005) Data
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2007
Department
Psychology
Abstract
On the basis of taxometric analyses of data sets that they created to pose interpretive challenges, S. R. H. Beach, N. Amir, and J. J. Ban (2005) cautioned that using comparison data simulated by J. Ruscio's programs can lead to inaccurate conclusions. Careful examination of S. R. H. Beach et al.'s methods and results plus reanalysis of their data fails to substantiate this concern: Using comparison data identified the taxonic structure of S. R. H. Beach et al.'s data sets, even when the taxon base rate was very low. The authors show that J. Ruscio's simulation programs generate comparison data appropriately and that analyzing these data provides a useful interpretive aid. Additionally, the authors discuss and illustrate the effective use of the inchworm consistency test to disambiguate taxometric results for small taxa and dimensional constructs with positively skewed indicators.
Publication Title
Psychological Assessment
Volume
19
Issue
2
First Page
241
Last Page
246
Recommended Citation
Ruscio, J.,
Marcus, D. K.
(2007). Detecting Small Taxa Using Simulated Comparison Data: A Reanalysis of Beach, Amir, and Bau's (2005) Data. Psychological Assessment, 19(2), 241-246.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/1998