Configural Frequency Analysis Research Articles

A diachronic perspective on near-synonymy: The concept of sweet-smelling in American English

AbstractThis paper presents a diachronic analysis of the attributive uses of four synonymous adjectives which designate the concept ofsweet-smelling(fragrant, perfumed, scented, andsweet-smelling) in the latter part of Late Modern and Present-day American English. By drawing on data from theCorpus of Historical American English(COHA) and applying a Hierarchical Configural Frequency Analysis (HCFA), it delineates the internal semantic structure of this set of synonyms, paying special attention to their noun collocates. The results show that the concept ofsweet-smellingexperiences major changes over the time span examined (1850–2009), from being used mostly to qualify entities which can exhibit anaturalpleasant smell (e.g. flowers and trees) to modifying objects which areartificiallysweet-smelling (e.g. oils and shampoos). Moreover,fragrantandperfumed, which initially were the most frequent adjectives, are gradually replaced byscented, thus reflecting a change in the relation between the synonyms over time. The study constitutes the first diachronic approximation to synonymy from the perspective of cognitive semantics and provides equally effective results as previous synchronic research in the field.

Academic Well-Being, Mathematics Performance, and Educational Aspirations in Lower Secondary Education: Changes Within a School Year.

It has been suggested that both performance and academic well-being play a role in adolescent students’ educational attainment and school dropout. In this study, we therefore examined, first, what kinds of academic well-being (i.e., school burnout, schoolwork engagement, and mathematics self-concept) and mathematics performance profiles can be identified among lower secondary school students (Ngrade 7 = 583, Ngrade 9 = 497); second, how stable these profiles are across one school year during the seventh and ninth grades; and, third, how students with different academic well-being and mathematics performance profiles differ with respect to their educational aspirations. By means of latent profile analyses, three groups of students in seventh grade: thriving (34%), average (51%), and negative academic well-being (15%) and four groups of students in ninth grade: thriving (25%), average (50%), negative academic well-being (18%), and low-performing (7%) with distinct well-being and mathematics performance profiles were identified. Configural frequency analyses revealed that the profiles were relatively stable across one school year; 60% of the students displayed identical profiles over time. The thriving students reported the highest educational aspirations compared to the other groups. In addition, the low-performing students in the ninth grade had the lowest educational aspirations just before the transition to upper secondary school. Practical implications as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Application of Bayesian configural frequency analysis (BCFA) to determine characteristics user and non-user motor X

Configural Frequency Analysis is a method for cell-wise testing in contingency tables for exploratory search type and antitype, that can see the existence of discrepancy on the model by existence of a significant difference between the frequency of observation and frequency of expectation. This analysis focuses on whether or not the interaction among categories from different variables, and not the interaction among variables. One of the extensions of CFA method is Bayesian CFA, this alternative method pursue the same goal as frequentist version of CFA with the advantage that adjustment of the experiment-wise significance level α is not necessary and test whether groups of types and antitypes form composite types or composite antitypes. Hence, this research will present the concept of the Bayesian CFA and how it works for the real data. The data on this paper is based on case studies in a company about decrease Brand Awareness & Image motor X on Top Of Mind Unit indicator in Cirebon City for user 30.8% and non user 9.8%. From the result of B-CFA have four characteristics from deviation, one of the four characteristics above that is the configuration 2212 need more attention by company to determine promotion strategy to maintain and improve Top Of Mind Unit in Cirebon City.

How is Civic Engagement Related to Personal Identity and Social Identity in Late Adolescents and Emerging Adults? A Person-Oriented Approach.

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are periods in life when individuals both question and define their place in society and form their identity. Meanwhile, active youth civic engagement represents a challenge for each democracy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the different forms of civic engagement among late adolescents and emerging adults and how they are related to personal identity and social identity, while adopting an integrative perspective through the lens of a person-oriented approach. The participants were 1217 (62.3% female) 16-24 year-old French students (M age = 19.17; SD age = 1.83). First, derived from cluster analyses, the findings emphasized diversity in civic engagement, from strong civic participation (in different formal and informal ways) to various forms of passivity. Diversity was also highlighted for personal identity and social identity profiles. Second, a Configural Frequency Analysis revealed a typical pattern associating passivity in civic engagement, personal carefree diffusion and rejection of social identity. Overall, these findings highlight an absence of general youth disaffection and provide a meaningful specific pattern for the understanding of passivity in political and civic matters in late adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Highly engaged but burned out: intra-individual profiles in the US workforce

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to use the job demands-resources model to investigate intra-individual engagement-burnout profiles, and demands-resources profiles.Design/methodology/approachA representative sample of the US workforce was surveyed online. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and configural frequency analysis examined intra-individual profiles and their inter-relations.FindingsA negative inter-individual correlation between engagement and burnout suggested that burnout tends to be lower when engagement is high, but intra-individual analyses identified both aligned engagement-burnout profiles (high, moderate, and low on both variables), and discrepant profiles (high engagement – low burnout; high burnout – low engagement). High engagement and burnout co-occurred in 18.8 percent of workers. These workers reported strong mixed (positive and negative) emotions and intended to leave their organization. Another LPA identified three demands-resources profiles: low demands – low resources, but moderate self-efficacy, low workload and bureaucracy demands but moderate information processing demands – high resources, and high demands – high resources. Workers with high engagement – high burnout profiles often reported high demands – high resources profiles. In contrast, workers with high engagement – low burnout profiles often reported profiles of high resources, moderate information processing demands, and low other demands.Originality/valueThis study examined the intersection of intra-individual engagement-burnout profiles and demands-resources profiles. Previous studies examined only one of these sides or relied on inter-individual analyses. Interestingly, many employees appear to be optimally engaged while they are burned-out and considering to leave their jobs. Demands and resources facets were distinguished in the LPA, revealing that some demands were associated with resources and engagement.

PENERAPAN CONFIGURAL FREQUENCY ANALYSIS (CFA) UNTUK MENENTUKAN KARAKTERISTIK USER DAN NON USER MOTOR X DI KOTA CIREBON (Studi Kasus PT. XYZ)

ABSTRACT. PT. XYZ has a role as the main dealer of motor X in West Java with marketing area in three cities: Bandung, Bekasi and Cirebon. The company survey always held every year about Brand Awareness & Image to users and non user motor X to know the characteristics of consumers. Based on the company report survey there was a decrease in the indicators of Top Of Mind Unit in Cirebon City for the user of 30.8% and for non users of 9.8%. This study aims to determine the characteristics that cause the decline of the Top Of Mind Unit based on the configuration of user characteristics and non user motor X in Cirebon City by using Configural Frequency Analysis (CFA). From the results of data analysis can be seen that there are three configurations of user characteristics and non users that deviate from the base model is formed. These three configurations can be considered in determining the marketing strategy to maintain and improve the Top Of Mind Unit in Cirebon City.

The evolution of farm size: an exploratory study by configural frequency analysis

Investment support measures in agriculture can have differentiated effects on the strategic reorganisation and the performance of farms. In this paper, we study the patterns of technical change of a sample of farms in the Lombardy region, Italy, that invested in structural modernisation benefiting from the financial incentives provided under the measure 121. We find evidence relating the modernisation of farms under the umbrella of the measure 121 to limited positive changes in farmland and more substantial positive changes in other inputs. The results are not conclusive regarding a causal relationship between the measure 121 and the structural change of farms. Nonetheless, the paper describes a situation in which patterns of farmland reduction are relatively less frequent in farms that make use of this policy instrument.

Gender-stereotyped preferences in childhood and early adolescence: A comparison of cross-sectional and longitudinal data

Children are exposed to a gender-specific environment on an everyday basis through media, books, school supplies and especially toys. Children’s movies and television programs were found to portray protagonists’ occupational and private roles in a very traditional, gender-stereotypical way. The present two studies aimed to investigate gender-specific preferences in childhood and early adolescence. Cross-sectional data (study 1) were compared to longitudinal one (study 2) as we specifically aimed to investigate changes in gender preferences over time. A person-oriented approach, namely Configural Frequency Analysis was applied, to categorically analyze the relationship and development of gender-stereotyped preferences throughout childhood and early adolescence. Consistent with former studies, study 1 showed that gender-stereotypical preferences increased by age, for boys to a higher extent than for girls. By the age of twelve, these preferences had decreased supporting the theory of Kohlberg that children’s gender-stereotypic preferences continuously grow until around six years of age to finally lower thereafter. Gender-specific preferences generally became much more flexible over time.

Testing Event-Based Forms of Causality.

Three fundamental types of causal relations are those of necessity, sufficiency, and necessity and sufficiency. These types are defined in contexts of categorical variables or events. Using statement calculus or Boolean algebra, one can determine which patterns of events are in support of a particular form of causal relation. In this article, we approach the analysis of these forms of causality taking the perspective of the analyst of empirical data. It is proposed using Configural Frequency Analysis (CFA) to test hypotheses about type of causal relation. Models are proposed for two-variable and multi-variable cases. Two CFA approaches are proposed. In the first, individual patterns (configurations) are examined under the question whether they are in support of a particular type of causal relation. In the second, patterns that are in support are compared with corresponding patterns that are not in support. In an empirical example, hypotheses are tested on the prediction of sustainability of change in dietary fat intake habits.

Local Associations in Latent Class Analysis: Using Configural Frequency Analysis for Model Evaluation

Local Associations in Latent Class Analysis: Using Configural Frequency Analysis for Model Evaluation

Using Configural Frequency Analysis as a Person-centered Analytic Approach with Categorical Data

Configural frequency analysis and log-linear modeling are presented as person-centered analytic approaches for the analysis of categorical or categorized data in multi-way contingency tables. Person-centered developmental psychology, based on the holistic interactionistic perspective of the Stockholm working group around David Magnusson and Lars Bergman, is briefly revisited. According to person-centered theory, systems or individuals are seen as a whole and as inseparable units; individuals are embedded and strongly interconnected with their context; the individual and the environment influence each other, and the individual is seen as an active agent or producer of his or her own development. Four models of configural frequency analysis are presented: (1) First-order configural frequency analysis, which is basically the analysis of a main effects log-linear model; (2) prediction configural frequency analysis, which defines one or more dependent variables; (3) two-group configural frequency analysis, which proposes that there is no association between discrimination variables and group membership; and (4) functional configural frequency analysis, which allows us to blank out certain outlier cells in order to test for the quasi-independence of the rest of the cross-table. The use of the open source R-package confreq for computational analysis is demonstrated. The advantages, as well as the limitations, of configural frequency analysis are discussed.

The Potential of Mixed Methods for Person-Oriented Well-Being Research

The assessment of individual well-being has found its way into official statistics not only via objectively measurable indicators, but also focusing on subjective well-being via life satisfaction or happiness self-ratings. Although a first step towards a person-centered view is taken by that (compared to classic GDP reporting), it can be demonstrated by means of qualitative interviewing that a lot of essential information gets lost when relying on aggregate life evaluation, even if subjectively reported. The database is taken from the MODUL Study of Living Conditions (Ponocny, Weismayer, Dressler, & Stross, 2015), which provides, among other gathered data sources, 500 semi-structured interviews about the current quality of life from different locations in Austria, together with subjective self-ratings about life satisfaction and happiness. Numerical self-ratings are contrasted to what people actually reported about their lives. The comparison between both approaches shows that top global self-evaluations tend to hide essential problematic aspects which people tell about their lives verbally. This does not only let the single-item self-ratings look very superficial, but even essentially biased, when prematurely interpreted by researchers. Additionally, different patterns were detected how the study participants interpreted life satisfaction and happiness at all. Merging quantitative information such as implausible response patterns (found by configuration frequency analysis) with qualitative information from the interview narratives helped to explain counterintuitive responses. Summed up, this mixed method approach demonstrates the importance of considering not only aggregate information, but also following a more holistic view on individuals and their specific configurations of internal and external quality of life conditions.

A Configural Perspective of Interindividual Differences in Intraindividual Change

Lag analysis can be used to inspect stability and change of behavior over a pre-determined time interval, the lag. In the analysis of metric variables, lag analysis is well known and used to identify such temporal effects as seasonal trends. In the analysis of categorical variables, the same can be done. Either approach can be employed in the analysis of both aggregated and individual data. In the domain of studying individual cells of contingency tables, that is, in configural analysis, only two sources exist in which lag analysis is discussed (von Eye, Mair, & Mun, 2010; von Eye & Mun, 2012). In this paper, we place the method of configural lag analysis in a person-oriented context and propose new variants for the comparison of individuals. Three approaches are considered. The first involves searching for configural types and antitypes separately for the comparison individuals. The second approach can be viewed parallel to two- or multiple group Configural Frequency Analysis. Both approaches are presented within a log-linear framework. Configural base models are specified for the original configural lag method as well as the extended comparative methods, and questions are defined that can be answered using configural lag analysis. The third approach allows researchers to test hypotheses concerning groups of cells. In an empirical example, data are analyzed from a study on the development of drinking behavior in alcoholics. Further extensions and alternative methods of analysis are discussed.

A Functional Approach to Configural Frequency Analysis

Standard Configural Frequency Analysis (CFA) is a one-step procedure that determines which cells of a cross-classification contradict a base model. The results are possible types/antitypes depending on whether the observed cell frequencies are significantly lower/higher with respect to the base model. Selecting these cells out does not guarantee that the base model fits. Therefore, the role played by these cells for the base model is unclear, and interpretation of types and antitypes can be problematic. In this paper, functional CFA is proposed. This model of CFA pursues two goals simultaneously. First, cells are selected out that constitute types and antitypes. Second, the base model is fit to the data. This is done using an iterative procedure that blanks out individual cells one at a time, until the base model fits or until there are no more cells that can be blanked out. In comparison to standard CFA, functional CFA is shown to be more parsimonious, that is, fewer types and antitypes need to be selected out. The methods are illustrated and compared using data examples from the literature.

İstatistiksel Bir Araç Olarak Konfigüral Frekans Analizi

Configural Frequency Analysis (CFA) is a method for cell‐wise testing in contingency tables whether some model is contradicted. The original idea that lead to CFA is that the cell frequencies in contingency tables can not only be used to evaluate statements about the association structure of the variables that span the table, but are worthy of consideration in their own right. CFA is a method that allows researchers to identify patterns (configurations) of variable categories that occur more often or less often than expected based on some chance model. Each cell in this crossclassification is described by a profile of variable categories. These profiles are called configurations. CFA relates individual observed cell frequencies to their expected counterparts, thereby looking for surprising, that is, statistically significant deviations. When a cross-classification cell contains more cases than expected according to some base model, it is said to constitute a CFA

De aan-constructie in het 17de-eeuwse Nederlands

Abstract The aan-construction in 17th Century Dutch: A semasiological investigation The Dutch aan-construction (e.g. Hij gaf een bos bloemen aan zijn vrouw ‘He gave a bouquet to his wife’), the prepositional alternative for the double object construction (Hij gaf zijn vrouw een bos bloemen ‘He gave his wife a bouquet’), is a post Middle Dutch innovation (i.e. after 1500 AD). The precise details of the rise of the aan-construction remain, however, understudied. It is for example unclear whether the construction really breaks through in the 17th century, as Weijnen and Gordijn (1970) argue on the basis of a small corpus of farces, and what its semantic range was in those early days. In this paper we try to shed more light on these issues. On the basis of a self-compiled corpus of literary Dutch, we firstly show that the construction was not only already frequently attested in the language use in the 17th century, but also covered a remarkably wide semantic range at that time. Next, via a detailed comparison with data for the 20th century, we show that there have been interesting changes concerning the semantic evolution of the aan-construction. The structural weight of a cluster of ‘do’- and ‘send’-verbs for example declines over time and at more general level there seems to be a trend towards more abstract uses of the aan-construction. A diachronic collostructional analysis (Hilpert, 2006) and Configural Frequency Analysis (von Eye, 2002) lends a statistical underpinning to our observations.

Beliefs in the legitimacy of decision authority among Chinese adolescents and parents: A person-centered approach

The present study examined Chinese parents' and adolescents' beliefs in the legitimacy of decision authority with reference to specific issues from the prudential, conventional, multifaceted, and personal domains. The sample included 698 adolescents aged 12–15 and their parents from southern China. Parents and adolescents reported on their own beliefs respectively. Subgroups of parent and adolescent participants characterized by distinct patterns of beliefs across issues were identified with latent class analyses (LCA). Further, configural frequency analyses (CFA) were conducted to examine the match between parent subgroups and adolescent subgroups. In addition, the LCA-derived subgroups varied across residency status, sibling status, and child gender, and were linked to adolescent depressive symptoms and school misconduct. These associations with external variables provided evidence for the distinctiveness of the latent classes. Results were discussed in light of social domain theory and the socio-historical context where the participants were situated.

Schoolwork engagement and burnout among Finnish high school students and young adults: Profiles, progressions, and educational outcomes.

Applying a person-centered approach, the primary aim of this study was to examine what profiles of schoolwork engagement and burnout (i.e., exhaustion, cynicism, inadequacy) can be identified in high school (N = 979) and among the same participants in young adulthood (ages ranging from 17 to 25). We also examined gender differences, group differences in academic and socioemotional functioning and long-term educational outcomes, and temporal stability in the group memberships. Latent profile analysis identified 4 groups of students in high school. Both engaged (44%) and engaged-exhausted (28%) students were engaged and doing well in school, although engaged-exhausted students were more stressed and preoccupied with possible failures. Cynical (14%) and burned-out (14%) students were less engaged, valued school less, and had lower academic achievement. Cynical students, however, were less stressed, exhausted, and depressed than burned-out students. Six years later, engaged students were more likely than predicted by chance to attend university. In young adulthood, 4 similar groups were identified. Configural frequency analysis indicated that it was typical for engaged students to stay in the engaged group and for engaged-exhausted students to move into a more disengaged group. The results on broadband stability from adolescence to young adulthood showed that 60% of the youth manifested stable engaged and 7% stable disengaged patterns, whereas 16% displayed emergent engagement and 17% emergent disengagement patterns. Overall, the findings demonstrate that adolescence is not a uniform time for either school engagement and well-being or disengagement and distress.

Examination of Important Life Experiences of the Oldest-Old: Cross-Cultural Comparisons of U.S. and Japanese Centenarians

The purpose of this study was to compare the most important life events reported by U.S. and Japanese centenarians. This study included a population-based sample of 239 U.S. centenarians from the Georgia Centenarian Study and 304 Japanese centenarians from the Tokyo Centenarian Study. Two open-ended life events questions were categorized and grouped into different life event domains. Several cross-tabulations were computed to investigate culture and gender differences in most important life event domains. Next, four configural frequency analyses were conducted using Neuroticism, Extraversion, and the first most often mentioned life event domain for each sample (i.e., marriage and historical life events). Results suggest that events related to marriage were the most frequent important event domains mentioned by U.S. centenarians. The Japanese sample was more likely to report historical events. Men from the U.S. were more likely to report events related to work and retirement compared to U.S. women, and U.S. women reported events related to family as the most important life events when compared to U.S. men. Japanese women considered events related to marriage, death and grief as the most important life events when compared to Japanese men. In addition, Japanese men reported events related to work and retirement as the most important life events. A cross-cultural difference was found in life events: U.S. centenarians were more likely to mention positive experiences related to marriage and children, whereas Japanese centenarians reported mostly negative and traumatic experiences such as historical, death/grief, and work/retirement events.

The reduction of cultivated area: between structural evolution of the agricultural sector and anthropization

From 1970 to 2010 the Italian Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) decreased by almost 5 million hectares. This reduction can entail negative consequences since the primary sector produces crucial non-commodity outputs for the collectivity, such as landscape maintenance or hydrogeological risk mitigation. The reasons of the UAA decline are mainly two: the abandonment of farming activities and anthropization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate in which areas prevails one of these two factors in determining the reduction of UAA. This aim has been achieved by using a multivariate methodology: the Configural Frequency Analysis (CFA). Thanks to this method, it was possible to map the Italian municipalities according to the two reasons of the reduction of UAA.