http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/171813 Sun, 26 May 2013 06:27:08 GMT 2013-05-26T06:27:08Z http://www.recercat.cat:80/bitstream/id/26016/UB.png http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/171813 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/211472 Prospectiva de la llengua a Catalunya: simulació amb autòmats cel·lulars Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Herrando Borge, Salvador; Ferreres, Doris; Estreder, Violant; Adell, Marc Antoni; Ruiz-Soler, Marc L"article aborda l"aplicació d"eines informàtiques de simulació en l"àmbit psicosocial a la situació de la llengua a Catalunya per extreure"n escenaris de futur. En primer lloc, s"aborda el context metodològic de la simulació social amb autòmats cel·lulars. En segon lloc, s"aplica el mètode i el sistema als resultats de l"Enquesta d"usos lingüístics de la població 2008 i se n"extreuen resultats. Finalment, s"apunten unes conclusions. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/211472 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/211242 Randomization tests for ABAB designs: Comparing-data-division-specific and common distributions Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio Monte Carlo simulations were used to generate data for ABAB designs of different lengths. The points of change in phase are randomly determined before gathering behaviour measurements, which allows the use of a randomization test as an analytic technique. Data simulation and analysis can be based either on data-division-specific or on common distributions. Following one method or another affects the results obtained after the randomization test has been applied. Therefore, the goal of the study was to examine these effects in more detail. The discrepancies in these approaches are obvious when data with zero treatment effect are considered and such approaches have implications for statistical power studies. Data-division-specific distributions provide more detailed information about the performance of the statistical technique. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/211242 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210695 A measure of group dissimilarity for psychological attributes Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Manolov, Rumen; Leiva Ureña, David; Andrés, A. El funcionamiento y el rendimiento de los grupos en contextos diferentes están relacionados con el grado en que las características de los miembros son complementarias o suplementarias. El presente artículo describe un procedimiento para cuantificar el grado de disimilitud a nivel de grupo. A diferencia de la mayoría de técnicas existentes, el procedimiento que aquí se describe está normalizado y es invariante a los cambios de localización y escala. Por lo tanto, es posible comparar la disimilitud en escalas con diferente métrica y en grupos de distinto tamaño. La disimilitud está medida en términos relativos, independientemente de la posición que ocupan los individuos en la dimensión que mide la escala. Cuando no existe una justificación teórica para combinar las diversas propiedades medidas, se puede cuantificar la disimilitud para cada escala por separado. También es posible obtener las contribuciones diádicas e individuales respecto a la diversidad global y la asignada a cada escala. Las medidas descriptivas pueden ser complementadas con la significación estadística para, así, comparar los resultados obtenidos con distribuciones discretas de referencia, ya sean simétricas o asimétricas. Se ha elaborado un paquete en R que permite obtener los índices descriptivos y los valores p, además de contener las expresiones desarrolladas para simular una amplia variedad de distribuciones discretas de probabilidad. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210695 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210556 Dominància i ocupació de l'espai en grups de primats no-humans: un model basat en conducta adaptativa Cifre, I.; Olivé, M.; Salvador Beltrán, Francesc L'estructura jeràrquica és una de les característiques fonamentals de les societats de primats, que condiciona en gran mesura el comportament dels individus que conviuen al grup, però quines lleis regeixen la formació i l'estructura d'aquestes jerarquies?, per què en determinats grups els subjectes més dominants se situen al centre del grup i en altres de la mateixa espècie no? En el camp de la conducta animal s"han proposat múltiples hipòtesis però cap totalment satisfactòria, ja que a causa de les múltiples variables que hi influeixen és difícil desenvolupar una teoria que expliqui tota la complexitat que s"observa empíricament. La nostra proposta d"estudi es basa en l"enfocament de la modelització de la conducta adaptativa, la qual ens permet, mitjançant la simulació informàtica, implementar moltes de les variables que autors com Gust (1995), Koenig (2001) i Barta & Giraldeau (1998) han considerat importants per a l"estructura de formacions jeràrquiques en primats. Seguint el model proposat per Hemelrijk (1998), hem programat un simulador basat en agents, en el qual les regles de conducta implementades fan emergir estructures jeràrquiques complexes. En una primera fase de la investigació, que es desenvolupa en el present article, hem replicat els estudis de Hemelrijk (1996). Com els nostres resultats coincideixen amb els obtinguts per Hemelrijk, en posteriors treballs implementarem noves variables al nostre model. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210556 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210435 ACACIA: an agent-based program for simulating behavior to reach long-term goals Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana); Zibetti, E.; Tijus, C.; Miñano, M. We present ACACIA, an agent-based program implemented in Java StarLogo 2.0 that simulates a two-dimensional microworld populated by agents, obstacles and goals. Our program simulates how agents can reach long-term goals by following sensorial-motor couplings (SMCs) that control how the agents interact with their environment and other agents through a process of local categorization. Thus, while acting in accordance with this set of SMCs, the agents reach their goals through the emergence of global behaviors. This agent-based simulation program would allow us to understand some psychological processes such as planning behavior from the point of view that the complexity of these processes is the result of agent-environment interaction. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210435 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210434 R functions for quantifying nonindependence in standard dyadic and SRM designs Leiva Ureña, David; Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Salafranca i Cosialls, Lluís Interdependence is the main feature of dyadic relationships and, in recent years, various statistical procedures have been proposed for quantifying and testing this social attribute in different dyadic designs. The purpose of this paper is to develop several functions for this kind of statistical tests in an R package, known as nonindependence, for use by applied social researchers. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is also developed to facilitate the use of the functions included in this package. Examples drawn from psychological research and simulated data are used to illustrate how the software works. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210434 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210433 Adaptación de una asignatura metodológica de Psicología al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior: percepción discente acerca de la innovación docente López Fernandez, Olatz; Viader Junyent, Manel; Honrubia Serrano, Ma. Luisa; Cosculluela Mas, Antonio; Malapeira Gas, Joan Ma. (Joan Maria), 1951- En este artículo se describe el modelo de innovación docente de Diseños Experimentales y Aplicados (DEIA), una asignatura metodológica de Psicología adaptada al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES). El objetivo del estudio consiste en aprobar una adaptación del cuestionario Evaluación del Modelo de Innovación Docente (EMID) a la presente propuesta Europea (EMIDE) para conocer la valoración del alumnado en relación con nuestro modelo, así como estimar la adecuación de carga de trabajo prescrita. El hecho de que 270 estudiantes de DEIA completaran el EMIDE demuestra una adecuada validez factorial y un alto grado de fiabilidad. Según este estudio, los estudiantes perciben positivamente la innovación docente europea, y, en relación con la percepción de comprensión, señalan elementos relevantes a la hora de asimilar los contenidos necesarios para superar la materia, así como algunos elementos relacionados con el Campus Virtual y la semipresencialidad. La satisfacción del alumnado en relación con la propuesta parece estar más asociada a la estrategia semipresencial y al Campus Virtual, considerados como elementos innovadores en la enseñanza de la materia. Por último, se ha percibido un nivel de dedicación del estudiante menor del que se esperaba, concretamente en cuanto a las clases presenciales y al tiempo dedicado al estudio autónomo. Del estudio se concluye que es necesaria más investigación empírica para conocer los hallazgos relacionados con las adaptaciones que se están realizando de las asignaturas universitarias al EEES. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210433 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210337 La exposición de los menores españoles a la violencia familiar Abad i Gil, Judit; Pereda Beltran, Noemí; Guilera Ferré, Georgina La preocupación social por la violencia de género es una realidad, tanto en el ámbito nacional como internacional, incluyendo en la actualidad no sólo a la víctima directa sino también a los menores expuestos. La victimología del desarrollo ha contribuido a hacer visibles a estos menores y mostrarlos no como meros espectadores sino también como víctimas que se ven privadas de derechos y libertades básicos para su correcto desarrollo. Desde una perspectiva amplia es más adecua­ do hablar de exposición de los menores a la violencia familiar, incluyéndose así no sólo la dirigida hacia la mujer sino también aquélla que afecta al hombre o la que se produce de manera bidireccional entre los padres o entre uno de los padres y su pareja (Wolak y Finkelhor, 1998). A su vez, aunque menos estudiada, también de­ be considerarse dentro de esta categoría la exposición a la violencia que los padres dirigen a los hermanos del menor.Los estudios demuestran que el maltrato no siempre se extiende a toda la fratría: incluso en los casos más graves de maltrato fisico, el 18% de los hermanos estaría a salvo del trato violento dirigido a uno de ellos (Pereda y Almirall, 2004). http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210337 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210258 Random assignment of intervention points in two phase single-case designs: data-division-specific distributions Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Sierra, Vicenta; Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana); Manolov, Rumen The present study explores the statistical properties of a randomization test based on the random assignment of the intervention point in a two-phase (AB) single-case design. The focus is on randomization distributions constructed with the values of the test statistic for all possible random assignments and used to obtain p-values. The shape of those distributions is investigated for each specific data division defined by the moment in which the intervention is introduced. Another aim of the study consisted in testing the detection of inexistent effects (i.e., production of false alarms) in autocorrelated data series, in which the assumption of exchangeability between observations may be untenable. In this way, it was possible to compare nominal and empirical Type I error rates in order to obtain evidence on the statistical validity of the randomization test for each individual data division. The results suggest that when either of the two phases has considerably less measurement times, Type I errors may be too probable and, hence, the decision making process to be carried out by applied researchers may be jeopardized. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210258 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210257 Comparing N = 1 effect size indices in presence of autocorrelation Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio Generalization from single-case designs can be achieved by means of replicating individual studies across different experimental units and settings. When replications are available, their findings can be summarized using effect size measurements and integrated through meta-analyses. Several procedures are available for quantifying the magnitude of treatment"s effect in N = 1 designs and some of them are studied in the current paper. Monte Carlo simulations were employed to generate different data patterns (trend, level change, slope change). The experimental conditions simulated were defined by the degrees of serial dependence and phases" length. Out of all the effect size indices studied, the Percent of nonoverlapping data and standardized mean difference proved to be less affected by autocorrelation and perform better for shorter data series. The regression-based procedures proposed specifically for single-case designs did not differentiate between data patterns as well as simpler indices. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210257 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210033 An index for quantifying flocking behavior Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana); Herrando Borge, Salvador; Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Salas, L.; Miñano, M. One of the classic research topics in adaptive behavior is the collective displacement of groups of organisms such as flocks of birds, schools of fish, herds of mammals and crowds of people. However, most agent-based simulations of group behavior do not provide a quantitative index for determining the point at which the flock emerges. We have developed an index of the aggregation of moving individuals in a flock and have provided an example of how it can be used to quantify the degree to which a group of moving individuals actually forms a flock. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210033 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210032 Prospectiva de la llengua a Catalunya: simulació amb autòmats cel·lulars Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Herrando Borge, Salvador; Ferreres, D.; Estreder, V.; Adell, Marc Antoni; Ruiz-Soler, M. L'artilce aborda l'aplicació d'eines informàtiques de simulació en l'àmbit psicosocial a la situació de la llengua a Catalunya per extreure'n escenaris de futur. En primer lloc, aborda el context metodològic de la simulació social amb autòmats cel·lulars. En segon lloc, s'aplica el mètode i el sistema als resultats de l''Enquesta d'Usos Lingüístics de Població 2008' i se n'extreuen resultats. Finalment, s'apunten algunes conclusions. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210032 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210031 Forecasting a language shift based on cellular automata Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Herrando Borge, Salvador; Ferreres, D.; Adell, Marc Antoni; Estreder, V.; Ruiz-Soler, M. Language extinction as a consequence of language shifts is a widespread social phenomenon that affects several million people all over the world today. An important task for social sciences research should therefore be to gain an understanding of language shifts, especially as a way of forecasting the extinction or survival of threatened languages, i.e., determining whether or not the subordinate language will survive in communities with a dominant and a subordinate language. In general, modeling is usually a very difficult task in the social sciences, particularly when it comes to forecasting the values of variables. However, the cellular automata theory can help us overcome this traditional difficulty. The purpose of this article is to investigate language shifts in the speech behavior of individuals using the methodology of the cellular automata theory. The findings on the dynamics of social impacts in the field of social psychology and the empirical data from language surveys on the use of Catalan in Valencia allowed us to define a cellular automaton and carry out a set of simulations using that automaton. The simulation results highlighted the key factors in the progression or reversal of a language shift and the use of these factors allowed us to forecast the future of a threatened language in a bilingual community. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/210031 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209919 Problems of the randomization test for AB designs Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio N = 1 designs imply repeated registrations of the behaviour of the same experimental unit and the measurements obtained are often few due to time limitations, while they are also likely to be sequentially dependent. The analytical techniques needed to enhance statistical and clinical decision making have to deal with these problems. Different procedures for analysing data from single-case AB designs are discussed, presenting their main features and revising the results reported by previous studies. Randomization tests represent one of the statistical methods that seemed to perform well in terms of controlling false alarm rates. In the experimental part of the study a new simulation approach is used to test the performance of randomization tests and the results suggest that the technique is not always robust against the violation of the independence assumption. Moreover, sensitivity proved to be generally unacceptably low for series lengths equal to 30 and 40. Considering the evidence available, there does not seem to be an optimal technique for single-case data analysis http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209919 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209918 Determining shoal membership using affinity propagation Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana); Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Givoni, I.E.; Dolado i Guivernau, Ruth We propose using the affinity propagation (AP) clustering algorithm for detecting multiple disjoint shoals, and we present an extension of AP, denoted by STAP, that can be applied to shoals that fusion and fission across time. STAP incorporates into AP a soft temporal constraint that takes cluster dynamics into account, encouraging partitions obtained at successive time steps to be consistent with each other. We explore how STAP performs under different settings of its parameters (strength of the temporal constraint, preferences, and distance metric) by applying the algorithm to simulated sequences of collective coordinated motion. We study the validity of STAP by comparing its results to partitioning of the same data obtained from human observers in a controlled experiment. We observe that, under specific circumstances, AP yields partitions that agree quite closely with the ones made by human observers. We conclude that using the STAP algorithm with appropriate parameter settings is an appealing approach for detecting shoal fusion-fission dynamics. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209918 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209867 Spatial behavior in groups: an agent-based approach Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Salas, L.; Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana) We present an agent-based model with the aim of studying how macro-level dynamics of spatial distances among interacting individuals in a closed space emerge from micro-level dyadic and local interactions. Our agents moved on a lattice (referred to as a room) using a model implemented in a computer program called P-Space in order to minimize their dissatisfaction, defined as a function of the discrepancy between the real distance and the ideal, or desired, distance between agents. Ideal distances evolved in accordance with the agent's personal and social space, which changed throughout the dynamics of the interactions among the agents. In the first set of simulations we studied the effects of the parameters of the function that generated ideal distances, and in a second set we explored how group macrolevel behavior depended on model parameters and other variables. We learned that certain parameter values yielded consistent patterns in the agents' personal and social spaces, which in turn led to avoidance and approaching behaviors in the agents. We also found that the spatial behavior of the group of agents as a whole was influenced by the values of the model parameters, as well as by other variables such as the number of agents. Our work demonstrates that the bottom-up approach is a useful way of explaining macro-level spatial behavior. The proposed model is also shown to be a powerful tool for simulating the spatial behavior of groups of interacting individuals. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209867 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209809 Flocking behaviour: Agent-based simulation and hierarchical leadership. Quera, Vicenç (Quera Jordana); Salvador Beltrán, Francesc; Dolado i Guivernau, Ruth We have studied how leaders emerge in a group as a consequence of interactions among its members. We propose that leaders can emerge as a consequence of a self-organized process based on local rules of dyadic interactions among individuals. Flocks are an example of self-organized behaviour in a group and properties similar to those observed in flocks might also explain some of the dynamics and organization of human groups. We developed an agent-based model that generated flocks in a virtual world and implemented it in a multi-agent simulation computer program that computed indices at each time step of the simulation to quantify the degree to which a group moved in a coordinated way (index of flocking behaviour) and the degree to which specific individuals led the group (index of hierarchical leadership). We ran several series of simulations in order to test our model and determine how these indices behaved under specific agent and world conditions. We identified the agent, world property, and model parameters that made stable, compact flocks emerge, and explored possible environmental properties that predicted the probability of becoming a leader. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209809 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209808 Emergent patterns of social organization in captive Cercocebus torquatus: Testing the GrooFiWorld agent-based model Dolado i Guivernau, Ruth; Salvador Beltrán, Francesc We empirically applied the GrooFiWorld agent-based model (Puga-González et al. 2009) in a group of captive mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). We analysed several measurements related to aggression and affiliative patterns. The group adopted a combination of despotic and egalitarian behaviours resulting from the behavioural flexibility observed in the Cercopithecinae subfamily. Our study also demonstrates that the GrooFiWorld agent-based model can be extended to other members of the Cercopithecinae subfamily generating parsimonious hypotheses related to the social organization. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209808 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209648 L"ús del portafolis europeu de les llengües en versió electrònica (ePEL+14) en l"aprenentatge formal i no formal de la llengua i cultura catalanes López Fernández, Olatz Aquest article presenta el Portafolis Europeu de les Llengües en versió electrònica (ePEL+14) validat pel Consell d'Europa l"any 2010. En primer lloc, s"introdueix en que consisteix un portafolis educatiu, com s"ha passat al portafolis electrònic per l"ensenyament de llengües. En segon lloc, es descriu aquest nou portafolis electrònic europeu adreçat a l"aprenentatge de llengües i cultures, que pot ser utilitzat com a suport de l"ensenyament de llengües, com a instrument transversal per fomentar l"autonomia de l"aprenent de llengües cap a l"adquisició progressiva dels nivells del Marc Comú Europeu de Referència per a les Llengües (MCER) o com a eina d"auto-aprenentatge de les competències lingüístiques assolides per part de l"aprenent de llengües autònom. En darrer lloc, s"extreuen algunes conclusions preliminars de l"experiència d"incorporar l"ePEL+14 en els Erasmus Intensive Language Courses (EILC) de llengua catalana de la Xarxa Vives d"Universitats. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/209648 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208360 El portafolis europeu de llengües en versió electrònica (ePEL+14): percepció del professorat universitari de la Xarxa Vives López Fernández, Olatz Aquest article presenta el portafolis europeu de llengües en versió electrònica (ePEL+14) recentment validat pel Consell d'Europa. El propòsit és descriure aquesta innovació educativa en la docència universitària dels Erasmus Intensive Language Courses (EILC) i conèixer l'opinió dels professors universitaris de llengua catalana de la Xarxa Vives participants en la primera preexperimentació amb aquesta innovació en el curs 2011-2012. Es va dur a terme una enquesta després d’un taller de l'ePEL+14 en els EILC. El qüestionari ad hoc contenia quatre dimensions: variables sociodemogràfiques, coneixement previ del PEL i ePEL, materials de suport per implementar-ho i conseqüències del seu ús en l'aprenentatge de la llengua. La valoració va ser positiva, especialment per l'adequació de l'eina tecnològica i les funcionalitats informatives i pedagògiques per a l’aprenent de llengües. No obstant això, també assenyalen una influència moderada en l’aprenentatge de la llengua i cultura. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/208360 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/205264 Calidad de vida global en personas con demencia Lucas Carrasco, Ramona; Peró, Maribel; March, Jaume Objetivo: Evaluar la calidad de vida (CV) global en personas con demencia e investigar las variables asociadas con la percepción subjetiva de la CV. Pacientes y métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en seis centros de Barcelona y Tarragona. Un total de 99 personas con demencia leve-moderada que vivían en casa con un cuidador conocido completaron una entrevista cara-cara que incluía información sociodemográfica, percepción del estado de salud, un listado de problemas crónicos de salud, sintomatología depresiva, estado funcional, aspectos positivos, sentido de la vida y satisfacción con las relaciones personales. La CV global se evaluó con la pregunta global del World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF. Resultados: El 40,6% de los entrevistados consideró su CV como buena/muy buena. Los análisis univariados de regresión logística ordinal y binaria no mostraron asociación entre CV con datos sociodemográficos, gravedad de la demencia ni estado funcional, pero sí con las otras variables de estudio. Los análisis multivariados de la regresión logística ordinal y binaria mostraron que una mejor percepción de salud y mayor satisfacción con las relaciones personales se asociaban con mejor CV. Asimismo, en el análisis multivariado de regresión logística ordinal, mejor CV se asoció con un menor número de síntomas depresivos, y en el análisis de regresión logística binaria, con disfrutar de la vida y menor gravedad de la demencia. Conclusiones: Personas con demencia leve-moderada pueden informar sobre su CV y estados subjetivos. Además de los aspectos relacionados con la salud, aspectos positivos y las relaciones personales deberían evaluarse sistemáticamente en esta población. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/205264 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204209 A comparison of mean phase difference and generalized least squares for analyzing single-case data Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio The present study focuses on single-case data analysis and specifically on two procedures for quantifying differences between baseline and treatment measurements The first technique tested is based on generalized least squares regression analysis and is compared to a proposed non-regression technique, which allows obtaining similar information. The comparison is carried out in the context of generated data representing a variety of patterns (i.e., independent measurements, different serial dependence underlying processes, constant or phase-specific autocorrelation and data variability, different types of trend, and slope and level change). The results suggest that the two techniques perform adequately for a wide range of conditions and researchers can use both of them with certain guarantees. The regression-based procedure offers more efficient estimates, whereas the proposed non-regression procedure is more sensitive to intervention effects. Considering current and previous findings, some tentative recommendations are offered to applied researchers in order to help choosing among the plurality of single-case data analysis techniques. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/204209 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202747 Assigning and combining probabilities in single-case studies Manolov, Rumen Rumenov; Solanas Pérez, Antonio There is currently a considerable diversity of quantitative measures available for summarizing the results in single-case studies. Given that the interpretation of some of them is difficult due to the lack of established benchmarks, the current paper proposes an approach for obtaining further numerical evidence on the importance of the results, complementing the substantive criteria, visual analysis, and primary summary measures. This additional evidence consists of obtaining the statistical significance of the outcome when referred to the corresponding sampling distribution. This sampling distribution is formed by the values of the outcomes (expressed as data nonoverlap, R-squared, etc.) in case the intervention is ineffective. The approach proposed here is intended to offer the outcome"s probability of being as extreme when there is no treatment effect without the need for some assumptions that cannot be checked with guarantees. Following this approach, researchers would compare their outcomes to reference values rather than constructing the sampling distributions themselves. The integration of single-case studies is problematic, when different metrics are used across primary studies and not all raw data are available. Via the approach for assigning p values it is possible to combine the results of similar studies regardless of the primary effect size indicator. The alternatives for combining probabilities are discussed in the context of single-case studies pointing out two potentially useful methods&br& one based on a weighted average and the other on the binomial test. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202747 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202746 Adaptacion de una bateria para la evaluacion de prerrequisitos para el aprendizaje de la Estadistica en Psicologia. Guàrdia Olmos, Joan; Peró, Maribel; Mancho-Fora, N.; Farràs-Permanyer, L. Las investigaciones recientes sobre docencia universitaria en Estadística se han centrado en identificar las principales variables que afectan al rendimiento académico. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las propiedades psicométricas de cuatro cuestionarios (SAS, SATS, MSES-R, PMP) presentados como una batería de prerrequisitos para el aprendizaje de la Estadística, y por tanto potenciales predictores del rendimiento. Método: La batería se administró a una muestra de 96 estudiantes del Grado de Psicología de la Universidad de Barcelona, durante el curso académico 2010-2011 en la asignatura de Tècniques de Recerca. Resultados: Todas las escalas mostraron altos valores en los coeficientes de consistencia interna. En relación con análisis de la validez, se encontraron correlaciones significativas en sentido negativo entre los factores teóricos del SAS y del SATS. Las puntuaciones de autoeficacia ante problemas matemáticos estaban fuertemente relacionadas con el rendimiento en Matemáticas. Los análisis factoriales mostraron una solución de cinco factores para el SAS y una solución unifactorial para el MSES-R. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202746 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202704 Regression-based techniques for statistical decision making in single-case designs Manolov, Rumen; Arnau Gras, Jaume.; Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Bono Cabré, Roser The present study evaluates the performance of four methods for estimating regression coefficients used to make statistical decisions regarding intervention effectiveness in single-case designs. Ordinary least squares estimation is compared to two correction techniques dealing with general trend and one eliminating autocorrelation whenever it is present. Type I error rates and statistical power are studied for experimental conditions defined by the presence or absence of treatment effect (change in level or in slope), general trend, and serial dependence. The results show that empirical Type I error rates do not approximate the nominal ones in presence of autocorrelation or general trend when ordinary and generalized least squares are applied. The techniques controlling trend show lower false alarm rates, but prove to be insufficiently sensitive to existing treatment effects. Consequently, the use of the statistical significance of the regression coefficients for detecting treatment effects is not recommended for short data series. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202704 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202658 Estimating slope and level change in N=1 designs Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Manolov, Rumen; Onghena, Patrick The current study proposes a new procedure for separately estimating slope change and level change between two adjacent phases in single-case designs. The procedure eliminates baseline trend from the whole data series prior to assessing treatment effectiveness. The steps necessary to obtain the estimates are presented in detail, explained, and illustrated. A simulation study is carried out to explore the bias and precision of the estimators and compare them to an analytical procedure matching the data simulation model. The experimental conditions include two data generation models, several degrees of serial dependence, trend, level and/or slope change. The results suggest that the level and slope change estimates provided by the procedure are unbiased for all levels of serial dependence tested and trend is effectively controlled for. The efficiency of the slope change estimator is acceptable, whereas the variance of the level change estimator may be problematic for highly negatively autocorrelated data series. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202658 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202657 Analisis bibliometrico de la bibliografia citada en estudios de filologia española Urbano Salido, Cristóbal; Borrego, Àngel (Borrego Huerta); Brucart, José Ma.; Cosculluela, Antoni; Somoza Fernández, Marta Se analizan las referencias bibliográficas incluidas en un conjunto de obras de referencia y actas de congresos sobre filología española. A partir de este análisis, se determina el peso de diferentes tipologías documentales&br&monografías, publicaciones periódicas y actas de congresos&br& como canal de comunicación en esta disciplina. Asimismo se establecen los rankings de editoriales y revistas más citadas. A continuación, se realiza un estudio exhaustivo de citas a revistas, a partir del análisis de las referencias presentes en el núcleo de revistas más citadas establecido en la etapa anterior. Los resultados obtenidos muestran un uso considerable de formas de comunicación alternativas a los artículos en revistas académicas, como los libros o la prensa. Los rankings de títulos más citados obtenidos en las dos fases del estudio son similares entre sí, coinciden con los identificados en otros estudios previos e incluyen la mayoría de títulos vaciados en el Arts and Humanities Citation Index, lo que demuestra su validez. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202657 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202095 Choosing among techniques for quantifying single-case intervention effectiveness Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Sierra, Vicenta; Evans, J. J. If single case experimental designs are to be used to establish guidelines for evidence-based interventions in clinical and educational settings, numerical values that reflect treatment effect sizes are required. The present study compares four recently developed procedures for quantifying the magnitude of intervention effect using data with known characteristics. Monte Carlo methods were used to generate AB designs data with potential confounding variables (serial dependence, linear and curvilinear trend, and heteroscedasticity between phases) and two types of treatment effect (level and slope change). The results suggest that data features are important for choosing the appropriate procedure and, thus, inspecting the graphed data visually is a necessary initial stage. In the presence of serial dependence or a change in data variability, the Nonoverlap of All Pairs (NAP) and the Slope and Level Change (SLC) were the only techniques of the four examined that performed adequately. Introducing a data correction step in NAP renders it unaffected by linear trend, as is also the case for the Percentage of Nonoverlapping Corrected Data and SLC. The performance of these techniques indicates that professionals" judgments concerning treatment effectiveness can be readily complemented by both visual and statistical analyses. A flowchart to guide selection of techniques according to the data characteristics identified by visual inspection is provided. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202095 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202072 Data-division-specific robustness and power of randomization tests for ABAB designs Manolov, Rumen; Solanas Pérez, Antonio; Bulté, I.; Onghena, P. This study deals with the statistical properties of a randomization test applied to an ABAB design in cases where the desirable random assignment of the points of change in phase is not possible. In order to obtain information about each possible data division we carried out a conditional Monte Carlo simulation with 100,000 samples for each systematically chosen triplet. Robustness and power are studied under several experimental conditions: different autocorrelation levels and different effect sizes, as well as different phase lengths determined by the points of change. Type I error rates were distorted by the presence of autocorrelation for the majority of data divisions. Satisfactory Type II error rates were obtained only for large treatment effects. The relationship between the lengths of the four phases appeared to be an important factor for the robustness and the power of the randomization test. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/202072 http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/200823 Adaptación española del "Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale" para población adolescente López Fernández, Olatz; Honrubia Serrano, Ma. Luisa; Freixa Blanxart, Montserrat El uso problemático del teléfono móvil es un fenómeno emergente en nuestra sociedad, que parece afectar especialmente a la población adolescente. El conocimiento acerca del uso problemático de esta tecnología resulta necesario, dado que puede desarrollarse un patrón comportamental con características adictivas. Apenas existen escalas que midan el posible uso problemático del móvil y ninguna adaptada exclusivamente a población adolescente española. La escala más utilizada internacionalmente es la Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS). El objetivo de este estudio es adaptar el MPPUS a la población adolescente española. Se administró la versión española del cuestionario a una muestra de 1132 de 12 a 18 años. La fiabilidad y la validez factorial eran comparables a las obtenidas en población adulta, por lo que la medida del uso problemático del móvil en los adolescentes españoles es unidimensional. Se detectó una prevalencia del 14.8% de usuarios problemáticos. http://www.recercat.cat:80/handle/2072/200823