Measure Of Congruence Research Articles

Measuring congruence of spatial objects

This article develops and tests an algorithm of spatial congruence based on geometric congruity of two spatial areal objects in the Euclidean plane. Spatial congruence is defined and thus evaluated as an increasing continuous function of congruity in the position, orientation, size, and shape of spatial objects, dependent upon scaling, translation, and rotation. Expansion-based geometric matching is used to seek the best match between the two objects of interest for the examination and differentiation of the congruence effects of their spatial and geometric properties, while the expansion-inflated size effect is deflated or filtered out accordingly. The use of both expansion and deflation not only allows for a trade-off between size and position, both of which are found substitutable for each other in congruence measurement, but also enables the congruence algorithm to be highly sensitive to differences or changes in these properties. Three geographical objects (the states of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana) are used to show how trade-offs among the four properties are manipulated by the congruence algorithm in a geographic information system (GIS) environment, ArcGIS®. In addition, three regular geometric objects are used to demonstrate how the congruence algorithm is sensitive even to small changes in each of the four properties of objects. The results show that the proposed congruence algorithm is capable of quantifying the extent of congruity between two spatial objects regardless of how they are related as described in topological relations.

A Software Behavior Trustworthiness Measurement Method based on Data Mining

This paper presents a congruence measurement method by partitions to apply software trustworthiness measures in dynamic behavior feature datasets. The datasets are generated at software running time. And the method compares the datasets with the static attribute feature datasets generated at software testing time. So this method can make recommendations for users in services selection time under the environment of SaaS. The measurement method is carried out in three stages: firstly, defining the concept of trust, software trustworthiness, static and dynamic feature datasets with fundamental calculating criteria; secondly, providing a group of formulas to illustrate congruence measurement approach for comparing the two types of feature datasets; lastly, giving an architecture supported by software trustworthiness measurement algorithm to evaluate conceptualized hierarchical software trustworthiness.

Variation in stratigraphic congruence (GER) through the Phanerozoic and across higher taxa is partially determined by sources of bias

Abstract Many published cladograms report measures of stratigraphic congruence. Strong congruence between cladistic branching order and the order of first fossil occurrences is taken to support both the accuracy of cladograms and the fidelity of the record. Poor congruence may reflect inaccurate trees, a misleading fossil record, or both. However, it has been demonstrated that most congruence indices are logically or empirically biased by parameters that are not uniformly distributed across taxa or through time. These include tree size and balance, mean ghost range duration (gap size) and the range and distribution of origination dates. This study used 650 published cladograms to investigate the influence of these variables on the Gap Excess Ratio (GER). In a range of multivariate models, factors other than congruence per se explained up to 74.5% of the observed variance in GER amongst trees. Arthropods typically have poorer GER values than other groups, but the residual differences from our models are much less striking. The models also show no clear residual trend in GER through the Phanerozoic. Because the GER is strongly influenced by parameters related to cladogram size, balance and duration, comparisons across trees should be made with caution. Supplementary material: Data legends are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18484

Do Managers Use Feedback Seeking as a Strategy to Regulate Demands–Abilities Misfit? The Moderating Role of Implicit Person Theory

This study examined to what extent managers who hold an incremental implicit person theory (i.e., believe that personal attributes are relatively malleable) rely on proactive strategies to address imbalances between demands and abilities. Data were collected from a convenient sample of managers in 12 organizations in Spain and Belgium (N = 303). Given the well-known shortcomings of traditional congruence measures, we conducted polynomial regression. Results indicated that implicit person theory was a significant moderator of the relationship between demands–abilities (D–A) fit and feedback seeking for two out of three task dimensions. Specifically, incremental theorists sought feedback to a great extent when misfit occurred between low to moderate demands and abilities. The current study found preliminary evidence for a proactive framework of person–job misfit which could be used to guide future research. The results of this study suggest the use of self-persuasion techniques to influence managers’ incremental person theory (Heslin et al., J Appl Psychol 90:842–856, 2005). Research on person–environment fit is often guided by the assumption that individuals react negatively to misfit leading to maladaptive outcomes. However, this study tested a different perspective on P–E misfit by extending initial work (i.e., Simmering et al., J Appl Psychol 88:954–963, 2003) on the positive relationship between P–E misfit and proactive behavior.

Simultaneous Analysis of Multiple Enzymes Increases Accuracy of Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis in Assigning Genetic Relationships among Homogeneous Salmonella Strains

Due to a highly homogeneous genetic composition, the subtyping of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strains to an epidemiologically relevant level remains intangible for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). We reported previously on a highly discriminatory PFGE-based subtyping scheme for S. enterica serovar Enteritidis that relies on a single combined cluster analysis of multiple restriction enzymes. However, the ability of a subtyping method to correctly infer genetic relatedness among outbreak strains is also essential for effective molecular epidemiological traceback. In this study, genetic and phylogenetic analyses were performed to assess whether concatenated enzyme methods can cluster closely related salmonellae into epidemiologically relevant hierarchies. PFGE profiles were generated by use of six restriction enzymes (XbaI, BlnI, SpeI, SfiI, PacI, and NotI) for 74 strains each of S. enterica serovar Enteritidis and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. Correlation analysis of Dice similarity coefficients for all pairwise strain comparisons underscored the importance of combining multiple enzymes for the accurate assignment of genetic relatedness among Salmonella strains. The mean correlation increased from 81% and 41% for single-enzyme PFGE up to 99% and 96% for five-enzyme combined PFGE for S. enterica serovar Enteritidis and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strains, respectively. Data regressions approached 100% correlation among Dice similarities for S. enterica serovar Enteritidis and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strains when a minimum of six enzymes were concatenated. Phylogenetic congruence measures singled out XbaI, BlnI, SfiI, and PacI as most concordant for S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, while XbaI, BlnI, and SpeI were most concordant among S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strains. Together, these data indicate that PFGE coupled with sufficient enzyme numbers and combinations is capable of discerning accurate genetic relationships among Salmonella serovars comprising highly homogeneous strain complexes.

Insensitive blueberries: a total-evidence analysis of Disterigma s.l. (Ericaceae) exploring transformation costs.

Disterigma sensu lato (s.l.) is a polyphyletic genus of neotropical blueberries that comprises 37 species found in Central and South America, mostly in Andean cloud forests and páramos. The present phylogenetic analysis, based on molecular and morphological data for 84% of the species of Disterigma s.l., addressed the monophyly of the genus and identified the putative morphological synapomorphies of the main clades. The sensitivity of the phylogenetic hypotheses to the choice of analytical parameters was addressed in detail, by varying all possible parameters and applying different treatments for indel coding. A total of 29 transformation cost matrices were investigated and all these analyses were performed in POY 4, using direct optimization. A diagnosable Disterigma sensu stricto (s.s.) clade was recovered in all analyses, despite changes in the transformation costs. Additionally, none of the analyses refuted the segregation of D.trimerum, D.ulei, D.pentandrum, D.rimbachii, and D.bracteatum from Disterigma s.s. Although measurements of congruence are used to choose among alternative analytical parameter sets, the behaviour of the RILD index (rescaled incongruence length difference) in this study suggested that it may not be a good measure of congruence and that further studies are necessary to better understand its performance. © The Willi Hennig Society 2009.

Use of Habitats as Surrogates of Biodiversity for Efficient Coral Reef Conservation Planning in Pacific Ocean Islands

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been highlighted as a means toward effective conservation of coral reefs. New strategies are required to more effectively select MPA locations and increase the pace of their implementation. Many criteria exist to design MPA networks, but generally, it is recommended that networks conserve a diversity of species selected for, among other attributes, their representativeness, rarity, or endemicity. Because knowledge of species' spatial distribution remains scarce, efficient surrogates are urgently needed. We used five different levels of habitat maps and six spatial scales of analysis to identify under which circumstances habitat data used to design MPA networks for Wallis Island provided better representation of species than random choice alone. Protected-area site selections were derived from a rarity-complementarity algorithm. Habitat surrogacy was tested for commercial fish species, all fish species, commercially harvested invertebrates, corals, and algae species. Efficiency of habitat surrogacy varied by species group, type of habitat map, and spatial scale of analysis. Maps with the highest habitat thematic complexity provided better surrogates than simpler maps and were more robust to changes in spatial scales. Surrogates were most efficient for commercial fishes, corals, and algae but not for commercial invertebrates. Conversely, other measurements of species-habitat associations, such as richness congruence and composition similarities provided weak results. We provide, in part, a habitat-mapping methodology for designation of MPAs for Pacific Ocean islands that are characterized by habitat zonations similar to Wallis. Given the increasing availability and affordability of space-borne imagery to map habitats, our approach could appreciably facilitate and improve current approaches to coral reef conservation and enhance MPA implementation.

Change Processes in Clients' Self-Perceptions in Experiental Psychotherapy / Veränderungsprozesse in der Selbstwahrnehmung bei Klienten in der Experienziellen Psychotherapie / Procesos de cambio en la percepción que tiene el cliente de su self en psicoterapia experiencial / Les processus de changement dans les perceptions de soi chez les clients dans la psychothérapie expérientielle / Processos de mudança na auto-percepção do

This study examined the processes underlying change in self-perceptions and their relation to treatment outcome in short-term perception-focused experiential therapy. Clients (n = 20) receiving this method of therapy showed significantly greater improvement on measures of depression, self-concept, and perceptual congruence than those in a stress-management treatment control group (n = 20). Self-relevant segments, drawn from an early and later therapy session of the treatment group, were rated on the EXP-Scale and on a measure of levels of perceptual processing (LCPP-R). The analyses revealed significant early- to late-therapy improvement in depth of experiencing and ability to engage in complex, internally focused differentiating, reevaluating, and integrating kinds of mental operations. A significant relationship was also found between attained complexity in manner of processing and post-treatment reduction in depression. The implications of these findings for experiential theory and practice are discussed.

Behavioural elements of professionalism: Assessment of a fundamental concept in medical care

Background: The Nijmegen Professionalism Scale, an instrument for assessing professional behaviour of general practitioner (GP) trainees, consists of four domains: professional behaviour towards patients, other professionals, society and oneself. The purpose of the instrument is to provide formative feedback.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale.Methods: Both GP trainers and their GP trainees participated. Factor analysis was conducted for each domain. Factor structures of trainee and trainer groups were compared. Measure of congruence used was Tucker's phi. Cronbach's α was used to establish reliability.Results: Factor structures of the instrument used by GP trainers and trainees were similar. Two factors for each domain were found: domain 1, Respecting patient's interests and Professional distance; domain 2, Collaboration skills and Management skills; domain 3, Responsibility and Quality management; and domain 4, Reflection and learning and Dealing with emotions. Congruence measures were substantial (>0.90). Reliability ranged from 0.78 to 0.95.Conclusion: This study to validate the instrument represents one further step. To construct a sound validity argument, a much broader range of evidence is required. Nevertheless, this study shows that the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale is a reliable tool for assessing professional behaviour.

Bayesian Analysis Using Power Priors with Application to Pediatric Quality of Care

We illustrate how power prior distributions can be used to incorporate historical data into a Bayesian analysis when there is uncertainty about the similarity between the current and historical studies. We compare common specifications of the power prior and explore whether it is preferable to condition on the power parameter, a0 or to treat it as a random variable with a prior distribution of its own. We show that there are two natural ways of formulating the power prior for random a0. The first approach excludes the historical data in all but extreme cases and may therefore be of limited practical use. The second approach, called the normalized power prior (NPP), provides a measure of congruence between the current and historical data, so that the historical data are downweighted more substantially as the studies diverge. While this is an intuitively appealing property, our experience suggests that in real world problems involving large datasets and models with several parameters, the NPP may lead to considerably more downweighting than desired. We therefore advise practitioners to consider whether such attenuation is desirable, or whether it is more appropriate to assign a0 a fixed value based on expert opinion about the relevance of the historical data to the current analysis. We also extend the power prior to hierarchical regression models that allow covariate effects to differ across studies. We apply these methods to a pair of studies designed to improve delivery of care in pediatric clinics.

Ideological Congruence and Electoral Institutions

Although the literature examining the relationship between ideological congruence and electoral rules is quite large, relatively little attention has been paid to how congruence should be conceptualized. As we demonstrate, empirical results regarding ideological congruence can depend on exactly how scholars conceptualize and measure it. In addition to clarifying various aspects of how scholars currently conceptualize congruence, we introduce a new conceptualization and measure of congruence that captures a long tradition in democratic theory emphasizing the ideal of having a legislature that accurately reflects the preferences of the citizenry as a whole. Our new measure is the direct counterpart for congruence of the vote‐seat disproportionality measures so heavily used in comparative studies of representation. Using particularly appropriate data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, we find that governments in proportional democracies are not substantively more congruent than those in majoritarian democracies. Proportional democracies are, however, characterized by more representative legislatures.

Crossmodal congruency measures of lateral distance effects on the rubber hand illusion

Body ownership for an artificial hand and the perceived position of one's own hand can be manipulated in the so-called rubber hand illusion. To induce this illusion, typically an artificial hand is placed next to the participant's body and stroked in synchrony with the real hand, which is hidden from view. Our first aim was to test if the crossmodal congruency task could be used to obtain a measure for the strength of body ownership in the rubber hand illusion. In this speeded location discrimination task participants responded to tactile targets presented to their index or middle finger, while trying to ignore irrelevant visual distracters placed on the artificial hand either on the congruent finger or on the incongruent finger. The difference between performance on congruent and incongruent trials (crossmodal congruency effect, CCE) indicates the amount of multisensory interactions between tactile targets and visual distracters. In order to investigate if changes in body ownership influence the CCE, we manipulated ownership for an artificial hand by synchronous and asynchronous stroking before the crossmodal congruency task (blocked design) in Experiment 1 and during the crossmodal congruency task (interleaved trial-by-trial design) in Experiment 2. Modulations of the CCE by ownership for an artificial hand were apparent in the interleaved trial-by-trial design. These findings suggest that the CCE can be used as an objective measure for body ownership. Secondly, we tested the hypothesis that the lateral spatial distance between the real hand and artificial hand limits the rubber hand illusion. We found no lateral spatial limits for the rubber hand illusion created by synchronous stroking within reaching distances. In conclusion, the sense of ownership seems to be related to modulations of multisensory interactions possibly through peripersonal space mechanisms, and these modulations do not appear to be limited by an increase in distance between artificial hand and real hand.

Analysis Techniques for Congruence of the Patellofemoral Joint

Quantifying joint congruence may help to understand the relationship between joint function and health. In previous studies, a congruence index (CI) has been used to define subject-specific joint congruence. However, the sensitivity of the CI algorithm to surface representation was unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of applying five modifications (M1-M5) to the CI algorithm to determine whether the magnitude and variability of the patellofemoral CI is dependent on the surface representation used. The five modifications focused on calculating the CI based on the principal curvature (M1) at the centroid of the contact region, (M2) using an root mean square value for the contact region, (M3) using a mean value for the contact region, (M4) using all digitized points of the patellar surface, and (M5) using all digitized points in contact. The CI found using the contact area (M1, M2, M3, and M5) provides a local measure for congruence, which was shown to increase (decreasing CI) with increasing joint angle. In ten healthy subjects measured with magnetic resonance (MR) images, the patellofemoral joint became significantly more congruent as the knee angle increased from 15 deg to 45 deg using method M5. The magnitude and variability of the patellofemoral CI was dependent on the surface representation used, suggesting that standardization of the surface representation is important to provide a consistent measure. Specifically, M5 provides a local measure of joint congruence, which can account for joint position and orientation. M5 balances the ability to detect differences in congruence between knee angles without introducing high variability.

Relation of interest and self-efficacy occupational congruence and career choice certainty

Abstract A sample of 2145 adults completed the Personal Globe Inventory (PGI) as well as indicating their occupational choice and the certainty of this choice. The PGI yielded interest and self-efficacy scores and these were used with the occupational choice to calculate a congruence score for interests and one for efficacy. The prediction of career certainty by each congruence measure and their interaction was examined using hierarchical regression. The results indicated that while both interest and efficacy congruence were related to career certainty, efficacy congruence did not add to prediction above that obtained using interests congruence alone, however there was a substantial interaction. The agreement of interest congruence and efficacy congruence was related to a strong positive relation between congruence and certainty; whereas low agreement between interest and efficacy congruence was related to a non-significant relation between congruence and certainty. The results demonstrate the need to focus on both interest and efficacy and their agreement in our assessments and interventions.

Government Congruence and Intergovernmental Relations in Federal Systems

Intergovernmental arrangements in federal systems are important instruments to co-ordinate policy making between subnational governments. We argue that the capacity of these arrangements to guide government behaviour is shaped by the arrangements' institutionalization, which is affected by the programmatic differences between the governmental parties embedded in them. This paper presents first a measure of government congruence, which captures the programmatic differences between subnational governments. Secondly, it explores the impact of government congruence on intergovernmental arrangements' institutionalization across six countries.

Effects of osteoarthritis on radiographic measures of laxity and congruence in hip joints of Labrador Retrievers

OBJECTIVE- To determine effects of hip joint osteoarthritis on radiographic measures of hip joint laxity and congruence. DESIGN- Longitudinal study. ANIMALS- 40 Labrador Retrievers. PROCEDURES- Dogs were assigned to 2 groups based on radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. Dogs in the osteoarthritis group were free of osteoarthritis at initial radiographic evaluation (t(1)) and developed osteoarthritis by a subsequent radiographic evaluation (t(2)). Dogs in the nonosteoarthritis group had no radiographic osteoarthritis at either evaluation. Hip joint laxity was quantified by use of the distraction index (DI) from a distraction radiographic view and use of the Norberg angle (NA) from a ventrodorsal hip-extended radiographic view. The compression index (CI) from a compression radiographic view was used as a measure of joint congruence (concentricity). RESULTS- Hip joint laxity (NA or DI) did not change over time in the nonosteoarthritis group. Mean hip joint laxity (NA and DI) for the osteoarthritis group was greater at t(1) than for the nonosteoarthritis group. With the onset of osteoarthritis, mean NA decreased significantly and mean CI increased significantly, but mean DI remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE- No radiographic evidence for compensatory hip joint tightening associated with osteoarthritis was detected. Hip-extended radiography revealed that hip joints got looser with osteoarthritis and NA decreased. Hip joint laxity (DI) on distraction radiographs was unchanged by the onset of osteoarthritis and remained constant in the osteoarthritis and nonosteoarthritis groups at both evaluations. However, the CI increased with osteoarthritis, as reflected in nonzero indices (incongruence). The CI may be a valid marker for early hip joint osteoarthritis.

A comparison of brand personality and brand user‐imagery congruence

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare the brand personality and brand user‐imagery constructs in congruity theory to examine their relationship in the image congruence model as a basis of modeling brand attitudes for publicly and privately consumed brands.Design/methodology/approachA total of 272 surveys measured subjects' self‐image perceptions and subjects' perceptions of brand personality and user‐imagery. Congruence measures were used as indicators of the difference between respondent self‐image and each brand's image, and served as independent variables in stepwise regressions with brand attitude as the dependent variable.FindingsThe results indicated that, for publicly consumed brands, user‐imagery‐based congruence measures contributed more often to the explanatory power of the model. For privately consumed brands, brand personality congruity produced significant regressions but did not account for a large portion of explained variance, while user‐imagery only entered one private brand model.Originality/valueBrand personality and brand user‐imagery are often used interchangeably in self‐congruity theory research. Although both constructs have received past research attention, no studies have compared them in the same study. The study fills the gap in the literature and enhances the usefulness of the self‐brand congruity model, providing a knowledge base for determining an overall brand positioning strategy.

Establishing business integrity in an online environment

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which New Zealand business web sites conform to the provisions of the New Zealand Privacy Act, 1993 as an articulation of the national values on the rights of individuals to information privacy. The secondary aim is to assess whether adherence to these values might be used as criteria that can reflect on the business integrity of the web site sponsor.Design/methodology/approachThe privacy notices and information‐handling practices of New Zealand business web sites were analysed using a content analysis methodology. The analysis was carried out on a sample of 200 companies, selected at random from a published list of the top 800 companies in New Zealand in 2005. Government web sites were excluded.FindingsThe first research hypothesis – that New Zealand business web sites demonstrate awareness of the privacy concerns of customers by posting a privacy notice – was not supported. Similarly, the privacy notices on New Zealand business web sites did not reflect the principles of the New Zealand Privacy Act, 1993 as a basis for establishing “value congruence” with customers. Consequently the use of the principles of the Privacy Act to assess business integrity was not demonstrated sufficiently by the investigation.Practical implicationsThe lack of a usable convention for evaluating privacy notices on New Zealand business web sites may lead to a loss of value congruence between businesses and their customers, leading to less‐than‐optimal commercial transactions. The principles of the New Zealand Privacy Act 1993 define the national values and privacy rights of online customers. The use of the Privacy Act to assess the information handling practices of New Zealand businesses online could ensure more ethical business practice, demonstrate business integrity and promote customer confidence.Originality/valueThe use of legislated privacy principles as a reflection of established national values on the rights of citizens could provide a useful measure of value congruence and possibly business integrity. The variety of privacy legislation worldwide reflects a global lack of agreement on acceptable principles. Nevertheless, businesses wishing to establish their integrity and value congruence would be advised to ensure that their web sites provide for the growing sensitivity to privacy issues and the way that personal information is gathered and used online.

Testing Measurement Invariance in the Target Rotated Multigroup Exploratory Factor Model

We propose a method to investigate measurement invariance in the multigroup exploratory factor model, subject to target rotation. We consider both oblique and orthogonal target rotation. This method has clear advantages over other approaches, such as the use of congruence measures. We demonstrate that the model can be implemented readily in the freely available Mx program. We present the results of 2 illustrative analyses, one based on artificial data, and the other on real data relating to personality in male and female psychology students.

Expanding the Measure of Congruency: Presidential Anticipation of Public Preferences, 1953-2001

Several important studies have examined congruency between presidential policy position taking and public opinion. Much of this policy-public opinion scholarship, however, explores reflexive responsive pathways between representative and represented, where presidents read public opinion and respond to the opinions of the known public. A less explored aspect of presidential responsiveness to public opinion is the idea of presidential anticipation of future public opinion similar to Key’s (1964) concept of latent opinion. In this article, we offer a simple measure of anticipatory public opinion. Confirming what Key speculated about latent opinion, we find that presidents are more likely to successfully anticipate public preferences when the issue is salient and when elections are approaching, whereas popularity matters very little. Based upon these findings, presidents tend to look outward at the future political environment they face rather than inward (at current popularity) in anticipating reactions to new policy agendas.