Unconsidered Issues of Measurement Noninvariance in Biological Psychiatry: Psychiatric Phenotypes Necessitate Scalar Noninvariance

There is increasing appreciation that certain biological mechanisms may not be equally related to all psychiatric symptoms in a given diagnostic category. Research on the biological phenotyping of psychopathology has begun examining the etiological and treatment implications of identified biotypes; however, little attention has been paid to a critical methodological implication of these results: measurement noninvariance. Measurement invariance is the ability of an instrument to measure the same construct across different people or across different time points for the same individual. If what a measure quantifies differs across different people (e.g., those with or without a particular biotype) or time points, it is invalid to directly compare means on said measure. Using a running example of inflammatory phenotypes of depression, we first describe the biological phenotyping of psychopathology. Second, we discuss three types of measurement invariance. Third, we demonstrate how differential biology-symptom associations invariably creates measurement noninvariance using a theoretical example and simulated data (for which code is provided), and how this issue can lead to false conclusions about the broader diagnostic construct. Finally, we provide several suggestions for addressing these important issues to help advance the field of biological psychiatry.

On the Ontological Turn in Economics: The Promises of Agent-Based Computational Economics

This article argues that agent-based modeling (ABM) is the methodological implication of Lawson’s championed ontological turn in economics. We single out three major properties of agent-based computational economics (ACE), namely, autonomous agents, social interactions, and the micro-macro links, which have been well accepted by the ACE community. We then argue that ACE does make a full commitment to the ontology of economics as proposed by Lawson, based on his prompted critical realism. Nevertheless, the article also points out the current limitations or constraints of ACE. Efforts to overcome them are deemed to be crucial before ACE can make itself more promising to the current ontological turn in economics.

The Financial Innovative Business Strategies of Small to Medium Scale Enterprises in Developing Country and Influence for the Global Economy Performance

The paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issues such the financial innovative business strategies of small to medium scale enterprises in developing country and influence for the global economy performance. The main purpose of this scientific research study problem is the impact of all business strategies of small to medium scale enterprises for the global economy performance. The methodology is the synthesis literature review then observation all current and prior existing literature and facts available for the purpose of understanding the current financial business strategy withing small to medium scale enterprises in developing country. The strategies observed could assist the theorists, regulators, and scholar-practitioners in seeking solutions that may change the narrative of SMEs having stunted growth or dying before their fifth anniversary. The findings from this study could help understand what strategies work and those that do not work for SMEs. Once SMEs begin to grow and thrive beyond five years, there will be an improvement in employment level, general production level, and economic growth, which is considered a significant positive social change. The research contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge in that is provided a research study on the financial innovative business strategies and influence for the global economy performance. The methodological implication is grounded on the fact that three different methods were used to triangulate the data collected; semi structured interview, field notes, and document reviews. The study methodological implication includes, achieving the qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological method of data collection and study. Keywords: financial innovation, microfinance, entrepreneurship, world development.

EKSNOMINASI POLITIK DALAM NARASI: KONSEPTUALISASI PEMIKIRAN MITOLOGIS ROLAND BARTHES DAN IMPLIKASI METODOLOGISNYA DALAM KAJIAN SASTRA

This article deals with Roland Barthes’ mythological thinking and its methodological implication in literary studies. Its basic thinking is that in various modes of representation exist the dynamics of mythical signification using denotative signification as its basic and aims to address particular message to readers or viewers. Such signification intertwines with the complexity of discourses, histories, knowledge, and problems in the real life. Its final goal is to depoliticize and ex-nominates making something nameless dominant political interest in narrative naturally. Barthes also conceptualizes an idea on second myth that uses (the first) myth as its basis of signifying process to subvert the dominant class’ political interest. For explaining the contributions of these two mythological perspectives in literary studies, I give conceptualize method of analysis using both of them. As concluding remarks, I position Barthes’ mythological thinking as a theoretical framework which can avoid literary studies from over intervention of outside-literary factors political economy, general theories, etc. that make the studies seem losing their narrative base. Because Barthes’ perspective emphasizes on reading of narrative dynamics without negating exploration of discursive richness in signifying process, naturalization of ideological discourses, and ex-nomination of particular political interest.AbstrakTulisan ini membahas pemikiran mitologis Roland Barthes serta implikasi metodologisnya dalam kajian sastra. Inti dari pemikirannya adalah bahwa dalam beragam moda representasi berlangsung dinamika penandaan mitis yang menggunakan penandaan denotatif sebagai basisnya dan bertujuan menyampaikan pesan tertentu kepada pembaca ataupun penonton. Penandaan tersebut berjalin-kelindan dengan kompleksitas wacana, sejarah, pengetahuan, dan permasalahan dalam kehidupan nyata. Tujuan akhirnya adalah untuk mendepolitisasi dan mengeksnominasi menjadikan sesuatu tak bernama kepentingan politik dominan dalam narasi secara alamiah. Barthes juga mengkonseptualisasikan gagasan tentang mitos kedua yang menggunakan mitos (pertama) sebagai basis proses penandaan untuk mensubversi kepentingan politik kelas dominan. Untuk menjelaskan implikasi metodologis kedua perspektif mitologis tersebut dalam kajian sastra, saya mengkonseptuliasikan metode analisis dengan menggunakan keduanya. Sebagai simpulan, saya memosisikan pemikiran mitologis Barthes sebagai kerangka teoretis yang bisa menghindarkan kajian sastra dari intervensi berlebihan dari faktor-faktor di luar sastra faktor ekonomi-politik, teori-teori umum, dan lain-lain yang menjadikan kajian tersebut tampak kehilangan pijakan naratif. Karena perspektif Barthes menekankan kepada pembacaan dinamika naratif dalam kerangka penandaan tanpa mengabaikan eksplorasi kekayaan diskursif dalam proses penandaan, naturalisasi wacana ideologis, dan eks-nominasi kepentingan politik partikular.

Changes in Psychological State Measures and Time of Day

Psychological state measures were obtained on over two thousand junior high school students. Half of the students were tested relatively early in the day and the other half late in the day. Results indicated that self-reported measures of anxiety, stress, regression and depression tended to be higher for the group tested near the end of the school day than for those tested early in the day. A major methodological implication is that we should have separate norms for ‘time of day’ when we are dealing with state measures.

Factorial Ecologies: Oblique and Orthogonal Solutions. A Case Study of the New York SMSA

The utilization of factor analytic methods in the investigation of the spatial structure of urban areas has raised several methodological concerns. Two of these issues are examined in this study: the validity of the orthogonal model, and the possibility of bias through boundary drawing. This paper thus focuses on the effect of the choice of rotational technique upon the derived factor structures at three levels of metropolitan delineation—metropolitan area, city, and inner city sub-area. The rotational techniques are examined specifically in regard to dimensional interpretation and dimensional interrelationships at the three scales of observation. The findings have important methodological implication for the investigation of microregion structural variations.