Semiparametric Methods for the Measurement of Latent Attitudes and the Estimation of Their Behavioural Consequences

We model attitudes as latent variables that induce stochastic dominance relations in (item) responses. Observable characteristics that affect attitudes can be incorporated into the analysis to improve the measurement of the attitudes; the measurements are posterior distributions that condition on the responses and characteristics of each respondent. Methods to use these measurements to characterize the relation between attitudes and behaviour are developed and implemented.Latent variables

The issue context of modern American politics: semiparametric identification of latent factors from Discrete data

A new methodology that estimates attitudes semiparametrically and estimates actions nonparametrically, as a function of the resulting attitudinal measures, is used to examine the behavioral effects of ѣultural' and ѥconomic' preferences in the Presidential elections of 1984 and 1992. The results suggest a shift toward ѣultural politicsҬ achieved Ųst among the highly educated but spreading throughout society by the later election. One consequence is that both parties are now consistent in their policy alignments״he Democrats being liberal on both scales, the Republicans conservative. Despite this aggregate consistency, different social groups are attached to the parties in diĥrent ways, thereby heightening the potential for intraparty conǩct while sharpening the problem of fashioning a platform that is broadly attractive. These problems, finally, express themselves very diĥrently within the Democratic and the Republican parties.

Semiparametric methods for the measurement of latent attitudes and the estimation of their behavioural consequences

We model attitudes as latent variables that induce stochastic dominance relations in (item) responses. Observable characteristics that affect attitudes can be incorporated into the analysis to improve the measurement of the attitudes; the measurements are posterior distributions that condition on the responses and characteristics of each respondent. Methods to use these measurements to characterize the relation between attitudes and behaviour are developed and implemented.

Identification and estimation of latent attitudes and their behavioral implications

This paper (i) formalizes conditions under which a population distribution of categorical responses to attitudinal questions (ѩtemsҩ has a scale representation; (ii) develops tests for whether a particular sample of item responses is consistent with a scale representation; (iii) develops methods for nonparametrically estimating the relation between an outcome and a scale value; and (iv) generalizes the foregoing to the multi-scale case. An implication of these results is that the effect of multiple latent attitudes on behaviour can be identified, even though the attitudes of an individual can never be precisely observed. We illustrate our methods using survey data from the 1992 U.S. Presidential election, where the ѯutcome' is an individual's vote and the ѩtems' are expressions of social and policy preferences.

Reduced gravity simulator Patent

Cable suspension and inclined walkway system for simulating reduced or zero gravity environment

Backpack carrier Patent

Backpack carrier with retractable legs suitable for lunar exploration and convertible to rescue vehicl

Factors Affecting the Output and Quit Propensities of Production Workers

We have used a proprietary data set of newly hired semi-skilled production workers at one location of a large unionized firm to investigate several issues in labor economics. This data set is unique in several respects: the workers in our sample faced the same wage schedules, had the same promotional opportunities, the same job tenure (zero), similar working conditions, and had jobs for which we were able to record their physical output. We analyze these data by formulating a simultaneous equation model to explain wages, output, education, and a worker's quit decision. The model is estimated by maximum likelihood and subjected to a variety of specification tests. Such tests include a comparison of the standard error estimates that form the basis for White's information test, and White's version of a Hausman specification test. Our principal findings are: 1. Individuals that choose more education than we would expect from their observed characteristics have lower than expected quit propensities. We argue that this low quit propensity is one of the unmeasured (and unobserved) attributes that sorting models posit are correlated with education and hence distort the usual estimates of rates of return to education. 2. The performance of non-whites in our sample was no lower than that of whites. However, on their previous jobs non-whites received lower wages than did whites. 3. The output per hour of males in our sample was higher than that of females; however, we were unable to conclude from our data whether these productivity differences could explain the higher wages received by men on their previous jobs. Moreover, this output difference may be transitory and may diminish with on-the-job learning. 4. The expected value of alternative wages had a positive (but not statistically very significant) effect on quit rates. Workers with better alternative opportunities were more likely to quit (all workers had the same opportunities on their current job). 5. Finally we found that workers with high output levels were more likely to quit than were workers with average output levels.

Analytical techniques of pilot scanning behavior and their application

The state of the art of oculometric data analysis techniques and their applications in certain research areas such as pilot workload, information transfer provided by various display formats, crew role in automated systems, and pilot training are documented. These analytical techniques produce the following data: real-time viewing of the pilot's scanning behavior, average dwell times, dwell percentages, instrument transition paths, dwell histograms, and entropy rate measures. These types of data are discussed, and overviews of the experimental setup, data analysis techniques, and software are presented. A glossary of terms frequently used in pilot scanning behavior and a bibliography of reports on related research sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center are also presented

The issue context of modern American politics: Semiparametric identification of latent factors from discrete data

A new methodology that estimates attitudes semiparametrically and estimates actions nonparametrically, as a function of the resulting attitudinal measures, is used to examine the behavioral effects of ѣultural' and ѥconomic' preferences in the Presidential elections of 1984 and 1992. The results suggest a shift toward ѣultural politicsҬ achieved Ųst among the highly educated but spreading throughout society by the later election. One consequence is that both parties are now consistent in their policy alignments״he Democrats being liberal on both scales, the Republicans conservative. Despite this aggregate consistency, different social groups are attached to the parties in diĥrent ways, thereby heightening the potential for intraparty conǩct while sharpening the problem of fashioning a platform that is broadly attractive. These problems, finally, express themselves very diĥrently within the Democratic and the Republican parties

How a pilot looks at altitude

Commerical pilot eye scanning data previously collected were reanalyzed to evaluate how pilot used the drum pointer altimeter. The results of these tests showed that the pilots seldom used the drum window apparently because it was difficult to read as indicated by average drum window dwell times of .6 seconds. It is suggested that pilot scanning data be collected for other type of altimeters in order to find those with good scanning characteristics