Piecewise Structural Equation Modeling of the Quantity Implicature in Child Language

2022 ◽  
pp. 002383092110660
Author(s):  
John Grinstead ◽  
Pedro Ortiz-Ramírez ◽  
Ximena Carreto-Guadarrama ◽  
Ana Arrieta-Zamudio ◽  
Amy Pratt ◽  
...  

We review an array of experimental methodological factors that either contribute to or detract from the measurement of pragmatic implicatures in child language. We carry out a truth value judgment task to measure children’s interpretations of the Spanish existential quantifier algunos in implicature-consistent and implicature-inconsistent contexts. Independently, we take measures of children’s inhibition, working memory, attention, approximate number ability, phrasal syntax, and lexicon. We model the interplay of these variables using a piecewise structural equation model (SEM), common in the life sciences, but not in the social and behavioral sciences. By 6 years of age, the children in our sample were not statistically different from adults in their interpretations. Syntax, lexicon, and inhibition significantly predict implicature generation, each accounting for unique variance. The approximate number system and inhibition significantly predict lexical development. The statistical power of the piecewise SEM components, with a sample of 64 children, is high, in comparison to a traditional, globally estimated SEM of the same data.

2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432098520
Author(s):  
Ma. Jenina N. Nalipay ◽  
Yuyang Cai ◽  
Ronnel B. King

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether parents’ utility value perceptions predicted their children’s utility value perceptions, demonstrating social contagion effects. We also examined whether utility value would predict achievement. This is a cross-sectional study that utilized data from a subsample of adolescent students from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA 2015), which focused on science learning and achievement from 18 regions. We performed multi-level structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Results revealed that parents’ utility value perceptions predicted students’ utility value perceptions, which, in turn, predicted science achievement. The findings of this study provide evidence of the social contagion of utility value perceptions from parents to their children and the critical role of utility value in predicting achievement across various regions/countries. Our study highlights the crucial role parents play in adolescents’ motivational and learning outcomes and suggest parental involvement in programs toward enhancing adolescents’ motivation and achievement.


Author(s):  
Nada Hammad ◽  
Syed Zamberi Ahmad ◽  
Avraam Papastathopoulos

Purpose This paper aims to investigate residents’ perceptions of tourism’s impact on their support for tourism development in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires from Abu Dhabi residents (n = 407), who represented 30 nationalities residing in the emirate. Based on social exchange theory, structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings Results suggest that Abu Dhabi residents perceive the impacts of tourism positively and are more sensitive to the environmental and economic influences of tourism than the social and cultural influences. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to Abu Dhabi residents; findings cannot be generalized to other emirates in the UAE, or other countries. Originality/value This study adds value to extant tourism literature by investigating residents’ perceptions of the influence of tourism in one of the richest cities worldwide, which aspires to be one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the Middle East.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sk. Mamun Mostofa ◽  
Mashiat Tabassum ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed

Purpose This paper aims to analyse researchers’ awareness about plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection tools on the actions that they take to prevent plagiarism. It also employs a structural model that examines whether awareness of plagiarism and anti-plagiarism tools have any significant effect on the actions taken by the researchers to avoid plagiarism. Design/methodology/approach A survey questionnaire was distributed to researchers at a large public university in Bangladesh. The survey accumulated 184 valid responses. Descriptive statistics were obtained to assess researchers’ awareness about plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection tools and the actions taken by them. The reasons that may cause plagiarism were also identified. The awareness of the availability of the anti-plagiarism software that was being used by the university and its actual use by the researchers was gathered through the survey. Non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to investigate the differences in awareness levels and actions in terms of gender, age, discipline and current level of research. The chi-square test was carried out to examine the relationship between awareness about the availability of the anti-plagiarism software and its use by the researchers. Finally, the survey data were analysed using structural equation modeling to examine the effects of awareness of plagiarism and anti-plagiarism software on the actions taken by the researchers. Findings The study revealed that the level of awareness regarding plagiarism and impact of plagiarism detection software is generally high among the researchers. There are some significant differences between researchers’ demographic and personal characteristics and their awareness levels and actions with regard to plagiarism. The findings indicate that almost three-quarters of the researchers were aware about the anti-plagiarism tool that is being used, whereas more than half of the researchers indicated that they used the software to assess their works. The results of the structural equation model do not show a good fit, although there is strong statistical evidence that awareness about plagiarism and anti-plagiarism software has significantly impacted researchers’ actions towards preventing plagiarism. Originality/value There is no reported study on researchers’ awareness of plagiarism and its affiliated issues in Bangladesh. The findings of this study will not only provide useful insights regarding awareness about plagiarism but also assist university authorities to formulate relevant policy and take necessary actions against plagiarism in higher education institutions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Husam Alfahl

The use of mobile devices and smartphones is increasingly becoming a critical part of many people’s lifestyle. Such usage can vary from playing games to accomplishing work-related tasks. Being able to use organizations’ persuasive technologies via mobile business services or to achieve work-related tasks ubiquitously at any time means that such devices provide a valuable service, especially for employees who are working online. This paper explores the impact of mBusiness on the social life of employees. In the research, structural equation modeling was applied to validate the research model. Employees in Saudi organizations were surveyed to test the research hypotheses. The research results confirmed that there are some negative effects of using mBusiness technologies on the social life of employees. Based on the analysis, the findings revealed that addiction to mBusiness technologies significantly increases the perceived work overload, which also significantly increases work-family conflict. The paper concludes with some implications of this research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazzini Muda ◽  
Muhammad Iskandar Hamzah

PurposeIn spite of the increasing organic and interactive marketing activities over social media, a general understanding of the source credibility of voluntary user-generated content (UGC) is still limited. In line with the social identity theory, this paper examines the effects of consumers' perceived source credibility of UGC in YouTube videos on their attitudes and behavioral intentions. Additionally, source homophily theory is included to predict the antecedent of source credibility.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred and seventy two Generation Y respondents were interviewed using snowball sampling. Data were analyzed with component-based structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsFindings confirmed that perceived source credibility indirectly affects purchase intention (PI) and electronic word-of-mouth via attitude toward UGC. Besides, perceived source credibility mediates the effect of perceived source homophily on attitude toward UGC.Practical implicationsSince today's consumers have begun to trust and rely more on UGC than company-generated content on social media when making purchase decisions, companies may reconsider democratizing certain aspects of their branding strategies. Firms may fine-tune their marketing communication budgets – not only just by sponsoring public figures and celebrities but also by nurturing coproductive engagements with independent content creators who are ordinary consumers. Endowed with their imposing credibility, these micro-influencers and prosumers have high potentials to be uplifted to brand ambassadors.Originality/valueWhile consumers' purchase outcome can be measured easily using metrics and analytics, the roles of source homophily in stages leading up to the purchase is still elusive. Drawing on the rich theoretical basis of source homophily may help researchers to understand not only how credibility and attitude are related to PI but also how this nexus generates positive word of mouth among UGC followers within the social media circles.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Rafael Contreras-Lozano ◽  
Maria Virginia Flores-Ortiz ◽  
Ma. Del Carmen Alcalá-Álvarez

PurposeThe authors identify the theoretical constructions measuring the intentions to pursue succession as well as the socioemotional wealth theoretical framework, and the authors propose an objective of testing the relationships existing between them so as their importance giving evidence of their relevance.Design/methodology/approachIt is a research with a positivist philosophical position measuring in a quantitative way with a deductive and structured approach applied to 98 CEO owners of Mexican companies, using nonparametric methodologies the authors simulated subsamples with structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 3.3.2, the metrics on the model are described as a functionalist paradigm.FindingsDirectors' attitudes paired up with the intentions of succession are significantly related to the socioemotional aspect of the family business; although the theory proposes three aspects to measure these intentions, the social norm in this research has not been strong enough to be a predictor as an influence on the company's socioemotional wealth.Originality/valueThe authors found this a valuable paper for the complement of theory focused on purely manifesting aspects in family companies, because they identified theoretical and empirical relationships opening up guidelines for new research in socioemotional aspects in accordance with the entrepreneurs attitudes to achieve succession, the differentiation lies in measuring psychological aspects of the director's behavior toward succession and not to the succession per se as done in most research; also, the methodology of data analysis facilitates the reader to easily recognize the relationships between the proposed theoretical constructions, showing the detailed metrics development by researchers in the family business field.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shakaib Akram ◽  
Wafi Albalawi

<p>Social media has become a major source of communication and collaboration between individuals and among groups. The current paper investigates the underlying motives of social media adoption. The research identifies various determinants such as perceived connectedness, perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use as the major influencers of social media adoption intention. Using the sample from Saudi Arabia an online survey is conducted. Structural equation modeling has been used to test the proposed relationships. The results reveal that individuals’ perceived connectedness and perceived enjoyment act as stimuli for their social media adoption intention. Moreover, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness mediate these stimuli and the individuals’ social media adoption intention. The paper concludes with the recommendations for the academicians and the social media designers/developers.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin P. Ward ◽  
Gordon E. Limb ◽  
Sarah Higbee ◽  
Helena Haueter

Stepfamilies are one of the fastest growing family structures among all racial groups in the United States. Stepfamily research among many racial groups, specifically American Indians, is virtually nonexistent. This is unfortunate, as American Indians are more likely to divorce and remarry compared with other populations. From a family systems perspective, this study examined whether retrospectively perceived closeness in three stepfamily relationships, namely child–residential biological parent, child–residential stepparent, and child–stepsibling, were negatively associated with depression scores in 226 American Indian emerging adults. A structural equation model showed that increased child–residential biological parent and child–stepsibling closeness predicted decreased depression scores, whereas child–residential stepparent closeness did not. We also found that depression scores significantly predicted retrospective perceptions of child–residential biological parent, child–residential stepparent, and child–stepsibling closeness. Findings encourage interventions that strengthen American Indian child–residential biological parent and child–stepsibling relationships, and underscore the need for further research that explores American Indian stepfamily relationships.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Rahme ◽  
Marwan Akel ◽  
Sahar Obeid ◽  
Souheil Hallit

Abstract Background This study highlights the significant association between cyberchondria and quality of life among the Lebanese population in the time of COVID-19. The aim was to assess the association between cyberchondria and quality of life (QOL) of Lebanese community during the COVID-19 pandemic and assess the mediating effect of fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, stress and Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale in this association. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out between December 2020 and January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 449 persons participated in this study by filling the online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to examine the structural relationship between cyberchondria severity, the mediator (anxiety, stress, depression, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and fear of COVID-19) and physical/mental QOL. Results Having a university level of education and older age were significantly associated with higher physical QOL scores, whereas higher obsession-compulsion disorder, higher stress and higher anxiety were significantly associated with lower physical QOL scores. Higher anxiety was significantly associated with lower mental QOL scores. The results of the SEM showed that stress, fear of COVID-19 and to a lesser limit OCD, mediated the association between cyberchondria severity and physical QOL, whereas anxiety, stress and fear of COVID-19 mediated the association between cyberchondria severity and mental QOL. Conclusion This research reported interesting results encouraging more exploration of cyberchondria and its association with quality of life during this unique period of the pandemic. However, this virus has altered the lives of individuals all across the world, and the consequences will last for a long time. Along with all of the steps done to stop the development of COVID-19 and improve physical outcomes, mental health requires immediate care. More research is needed to determine the coping techniques people are employing to deal with the pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamideh Shiri-Mohammadabad ◽  
Seyed Alireza Afshani

Abstract Background Research on factors affecting self-care is scarce. The social factors, in particular, have not been yet investigated in Iran. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-care and social capital among women. Methods The participants were 737 women who were living in the marginal, middle and upper areas in the city of Yazd, Iran. Data were collected using a researcher-made self-care questionnaire and Harper’s (Off Natl Stat 11:2019, 2019) Social Capital Scale. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling by SPSS and Amos v24. Results The results showed that the social capital had significant positive effects on the general self-care behavior of the participants (β = 0.56, p < 0.001). It also had significant positive effects on the self-care behavior of women living in the marginal (β = 0.58), middle (β = 0.49) and upper (β = 0.62) parts of the city (p < 0.001). Besides, the women living in the marginal parts had relatively lower levels of self-care compared to those living in the middle and upper parts of the city. The examination of the fit indices indicated that the model has a good fit (CMIN/DF = 2.087, NFI = 0.921, RMSEA = 0.027, CFI = 0.956, TLI = 0.940, GFI = 0.956, IFI = 0.957). Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrated that social capital has significant positive effects on the general self-care behavior of women. Therefore, improving their self-care can be achieved through promoting their social capital.


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