This article was downloaded by: [McMaster University] On: 03 March 2015, At: 10:42 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Multivariate Behavioral Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hmbr20
BRIEF REPORT: PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR OF MODERNIZATION KEITH McNEIL & SHARON KARR Published online: 10 Jun 2010.
To cite this article: KEITH McNEIL & SHARON KARR (1972) BRIEF REPORT: PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR OF MODERNIZATION, Multivariate Behavioral Research, 7:3, 397-399, DOI: 10.1207/s15327906mbr0703_10 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr0703_10
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
BRIEF REPORT : PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR O F MODERNIZATION KEITH McNEIL Southern Illinois Universiw at Carbond,ale and SHARON KARR Urbana, Illinois
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
ABSTRACT The Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) was administered to 80 Ss from four cultural systems of varying degrees of modernization in Sierra Leone. Extensive univariate results were reporbed by K a r r (1969). This short note indicates the utility of muliivariate analyses. Multiple discriminant analysis was applied to the nine I T P A subtests, resulting in two significant discriminsant functions. The first function separated the groups along the hypothesized modernization continuum. The second function indicated one way in which bhe hypothesized levels of modernization did not hold up under empirical investigation.
PURPOSE The purpose of this note is to indicate the kinds of results obtainable with multivariate analyses, as well as to indicate the utilization of multiple discriminant analysis as a tool to obtain the ordering of groups. When multiple criteria are used, mixed results can occur when a number of bivariate analyses are calculated. Researchers who turn to multivariate analyses may find that more systematic and interpretable results occur in the data. Such was the case when semantic differential data from four subcultural groups was considered (McNeil, 1968). Discriminant analysis results indicated that the relative order of the subcultures on the discriminant function which accounted for the most variance was the same as the hypothesized degree of socialization. The present study is a replication of the methodology on different variables (psycholinguistic vs. semantic differential), on different populations (Sierra Leonean cultural systems vs. North American subcultures), and a slightly different continuum (modernization vs. socialization).
PROCEDURES Ten girls and ten boys were selected from each of the four cultural systems, which differed in amount of exposure to a techJULY, 1972
397
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
nical culture. The following cultural systems, ranging from the least modernized to the most modernized, were included in the study: (1) village, (2) “modernized” village, (3) tribal urban, (4) Creole urban. The 80 Ss attended Class Four, which is equivalent to the fourth grade, in six different primary schools in the capital city and Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The junior author individually administered the ITPA t o each S. The only change in the ITPA for this study was the lengthening of Auditory-Vocal Sequencing because the Ss were expected to reach the ceiling of that test, which in fact they did. Multiple discriminant analysis (Veldman, 1967) was performed on the nine ITPA subtests.
RESULTS Bivariate results were not entirely substantiated, as the ordering of the four group means was not always in the hypothesized order (Karr, 1969). Discriminant analysis provided the group centroids in Table 1. Table 1 Discriminant Analysis Results : Group Centroids on the Three Discriminant Functions
1.
2. 3. 4.
Groups Village “Modernized” village Tribal urban Creole urban Variance
X2 adf = 11 bdf = 9 *df = 7 ‘ p < .01
Discriminant Functions 2 3 8.92 1.71 -3.02 10.81 5.98 -3.46 12.27 5.47 -2.44 20.21 3.46 3.09 76.04% 23.21% .76% 60.190* 24.06b* .910 1
I I
I
.
Table 1 indicates that the four groups were in the hypothesized ordering on the first and most important discriminant function. A second significant ordering of the groups resulted in a large inversion of group 4 with groups 2 and 3, indicating that this psycholinguistic function is unrelated to modernization. Table 2 indicates the correlation of each original ITPA subtest with the discriminant functions, All of the subtests, except 398
MULTIVARIATE BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
subtest 5, were related to the first discriminant function. Apparently a general linguistic factor separates these four groups. The second discriminant function is related primarily to subtest 3,and secondarily t o subtests 6," (negatively), and 8. Table 2 Correlations Between Original Variables and Discriminant Functions Discriminant Functions
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
Variable 1. Auditory-Vocal Automatic 2. Visual Decoding 3. Motor Encoding 4. Auditory-Vocal Association 6. Visual-Motor Sequencing 6. Vocal Encoding 7. Auditory-Vocal Sequencing 8. Visual-Motor Association 9. Auditors Decodine:
1 .94
.26 .37 .87 .07 .67 .33 .30 .27
2 -.08 -20 .77 .06 -.01 .37 -.41 .36 .09
3 .12 -.21 -.19
-.oo
.61 .34 -.35
.32 -.08
DISCUSSIOT I The present results substantiate the summarizing capability of multivariate procedures. The initial hypothesized levels of modernization was supported by the first discriminant function and a slight modification to the hypothesized ordering was suggested by the second discriminant function. These multivariate results support the conclusions by Karr (1969) and McNeil and Karr (1970) : The ITPA is a useful instrument t o assess differences in psycholinguistic abilities among groups of Sierra Leonean children. The data support the methodology of multiple discriminant analyses in ordering groups on multiple criteria.
REFERENCES i I
.
'Y
1
Karr, S. IC. Differences in psycholinguistic abilities and intellectual maturity among Sierra Leonean children from four cultural systems of varying degrees of modernization. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1969. McNeil, K. A. Semantic space as an indicator of socialization. Joumull of
Educational Psychology, 1968,59,326-327. A., & Karr, S. K. Factor analysis of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities: A critique and some further results. Paper presented at Southwest Psychological Association, St. Louis, Missouri, 1970. Veldman, D. FORTRAN programming for the behavioral sciences. New York : Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1967. McNeil, K.
JULY, 1972
399
Multivariate Behavioral Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hmbr20
BRIEF REPORT: PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR OF MODERNIZATION KEITH McNEIL & SHARON KARR Published online: 10 Jun 2010.
To cite this article: KEITH McNEIL & SHARON KARR (1972) BRIEF REPORT: PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR OF MODERNIZATION, Multivariate Behavioral Research, 7:3, 397-399, DOI: 10.1207/s15327906mbr0703_10 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr0703_10
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
BRIEF REPORT : PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE AS AN INDICATOR O F MODERNIZATION KEITH McNEIL Southern Illinois Universiw at Carbond,ale and SHARON KARR Urbana, Illinois
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
ABSTRACT The Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) was administered to 80 Ss from four cultural systems of varying degrees of modernization in Sierra Leone. Extensive univariate results were reporbed by K a r r (1969). This short note indicates the utility of muliivariate analyses. Multiple discriminant analysis was applied to the nine I T P A subtests, resulting in two significant discriminsant functions. The first function separated the groups along the hypothesized modernization continuum. The second function indicated one way in which bhe hypothesized levels of modernization did not hold up under empirical investigation.
PURPOSE The purpose of this note is to indicate the kinds of results obtainable with multivariate analyses, as well as to indicate the utilization of multiple discriminant analysis as a tool to obtain the ordering of groups. When multiple criteria are used, mixed results can occur when a number of bivariate analyses are calculated. Researchers who turn to multivariate analyses may find that more systematic and interpretable results occur in the data. Such was the case when semantic differential data from four subcultural groups was considered (McNeil, 1968). Discriminant analysis results indicated that the relative order of the subcultures on the discriminant function which accounted for the most variance was the same as the hypothesized degree of socialization. The present study is a replication of the methodology on different variables (psycholinguistic vs. semantic differential), on different populations (Sierra Leonean cultural systems vs. North American subcultures), and a slightly different continuum (modernization vs. socialization).
PROCEDURES Ten girls and ten boys were selected from each of the four cultural systems, which differed in amount of exposure to a techJULY, 1972
397
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
nical culture. The following cultural systems, ranging from the least modernized to the most modernized, were included in the study: (1) village, (2) “modernized” village, (3) tribal urban, (4) Creole urban. The 80 Ss attended Class Four, which is equivalent to the fourth grade, in six different primary schools in the capital city and Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. The junior author individually administered the ITPA t o each S. The only change in the ITPA for this study was the lengthening of Auditory-Vocal Sequencing because the Ss were expected to reach the ceiling of that test, which in fact they did. Multiple discriminant analysis (Veldman, 1967) was performed on the nine ITPA subtests.
RESULTS Bivariate results were not entirely substantiated, as the ordering of the four group means was not always in the hypothesized order (Karr, 1969). Discriminant analysis provided the group centroids in Table 1. Table 1 Discriminant Analysis Results : Group Centroids on the Three Discriminant Functions
1.
2. 3. 4.
Groups Village “Modernized” village Tribal urban Creole urban Variance
X2 adf = 11 bdf = 9 *df = 7 ‘ p < .01
Discriminant Functions 2 3 8.92 1.71 -3.02 10.81 5.98 -3.46 12.27 5.47 -2.44 20.21 3.46 3.09 76.04% 23.21% .76% 60.190* 24.06b* .910 1
I I
I
.
Table 1 indicates that the four groups were in the hypothesized ordering on the first and most important discriminant function. A second significant ordering of the groups resulted in a large inversion of group 4 with groups 2 and 3, indicating that this psycholinguistic function is unrelated to modernization. Table 2 indicates the correlation of each original ITPA subtest with the discriminant functions, All of the subtests, except 398
MULTIVARIATE BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
subtest 5, were related to the first discriminant function. Apparently a general linguistic factor separates these four groups. The second discriminant function is related primarily to subtest 3,and secondarily t o subtests 6," (negatively), and 8. Table 2 Correlations Between Original Variables and Discriminant Functions Discriminant Functions
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 10:42 03 March 2015
Variable 1. Auditory-Vocal Automatic 2. Visual Decoding 3. Motor Encoding 4. Auditory-Vocal Association 6. Visual-Motor Sequencing 6. Vocal Encoding 7. Auditory-Vocal Sequencing 8. Visual-Motor Association 9. Auditors Decodine:
1 .94
.26 .37 .87 .07 .67 .33 .30 .27
2 -.08 -20 .77 .06 -.01 .37 -.41 .36 .09
3 .12 -.21 -.19
-.oo
.61 .34 -.35
.32 -.08
DISCUSSIOT I The present results substantiate the summarizing capability of multivariate procedures. The initial hypothesized levels of modernization was supported by the first discriminant function and a slight modification to the hypothesized ordering was suggested by the second discriminant function. These multivariate results support the conclusions by Karr (1969) and McNeil and Karr (1970) : The ITPA is a useful instrument t o assess differences in psycholinguistic abilities among groups of Sierra Leonean children. The data support the methodology of multiple discriminant analyses in ordering groups on multiple criteria.
REFERENCES i I
.
'Y
1
Karr, S. IC. Differences in psycholinguistic abilities and intellectual maturity among Sierra Leonean children from four cultural systems of varying degrees of modernization. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 1969. McNeil, K. A. Semantic space as an indicator of socialization. Joumull of
Educational Psychology, 1968,59,326-327. A., & Karr, S. K. Factor analysis of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities: A critique and some further results. Paper presented at Southwest Psychological Association, St. Louis, Missouri, 1970. Veldman, D. FORTRAN programming for the behavioral sciences. New York : Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1967. McNeil, K.
JULY, 1972
399
