Correcting for unreliability in nonlinear models of attitude change

Abstract

The paper opens with a brief discussion of the problems in testing nonlinear models of attitude change. The regression artifacts produced by unreliability are shown in both the linear and nonlinear case. Classical solutions for the linear case are quickly reviewed. A “new” solution to the linear case is presented and applied to the nonlinear case. It is shown to work well under a broad set of conditions. Regression artifacts in bivariate regression are then discussed. If the predictors are independent, then the univariate correction procedure can be applied to each predictor separately. But if the predictors are correlated, a joint correction procedure must be used. One such procedure is defined and shown to work perfectly in the case of linear regression and reasonably well in a broad set of conditions in which the regression is nonlinear.