Millisecond Forums

Understanding Multifactor IAT output

https://forums.millisecond.com/Topic17854.aspx

By Gwee - 11/28/2015

Hi, 

  I'm wondering if anyone can help me to understand the multi factor summary file output. I've downloaded my data, and I'm uncertain what is being associated with what for the 3rd and 4th blocks of items. I have 2 attribute dimensions - good versus bad, and 4 conceptual categories - containing cultural elements. I have 4 sets of d-scores, each based on comparing one pair of categories. I do not know what attributes  were compared to which categories - good versus bad, to determine whether positive or negative scores reflect strong or weak associations. 
 
Could you kindly help?

<item attributeAlabel>
/1 = "GOOD"
</item>

<item attributeA>
/1 = "Wonderful"
/2 = "Best"
/3 = "Superb"
/4 = "Excellent"
</item>

<item attributeBlabel>
/1 = "BAD"
</item>

<item attributeB>
/1 = "Terrible"
/2 = "Awful"
/3 = "Worst"
/4 = "Horrible"
</item>

<item targetAlabel>
/1 = "culture 1"
</item>

<item targetA>
/1 = "item1.1"
/2 = "item2.1"
/3 = "item3.1"
/4 = "item4.1"
</item>

<item targetBlabel>
/1 = "culture 2"
</item>

<item targetB>
/1 = "item1.2"
/2 = "item2.2"
/3 = "item3.2"
/4 = "item4.2"
</item>

<item targetClabel>
/1 = "culture 3"
</item>

<item targetC>
/1 = "item1.3"
/2 = "item2.3"
/3 = "item3.3"
/4 = "item4.3"
</item>

<item targetDlabel>
/1 = "culture 4"
</item>

<item targetD>
/1 = "item1.4"
/2 = "item2.4"
/3 = "item3.4"
/4 = "item4.4"
By Dave - 11/29/2015

You'll find this covered in the comments of the Multifactor IAT script:

"D-scores obtained with this script:
Positive scores indicate a preference for the lefthand category
Negative scores indicate a preference for the righthand category

Example:
expressions.ABd (A is on the left; B is on the right) => A (=Christianity) vs. B (=Islam)
positive D-score indicates a preference for Christianity over Islam; negative D-score indicates a preference for Islam over Christianity.

in this script: categories
A: Babies
B: Puppies
C: Kittens
D: Pandas"

I.e., in your case this means:
positive ABd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 2" / negative ABd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 1"
positive ACd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 3" / negative ACd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 1"
positive ADd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 4" / negative ADd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 1"
positive BCd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 3" / negative BCd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 2"
positive BDd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 4" / negative BDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 2"
positive CDd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 4" / negative CDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 3"
By jpmillsphd - 5/9/2018

Dave - Sunday, November 29, 2015
You'll find this covered in the comments of the Multifactor IAT script:

"D-scores obtained with this script:
Positive scores indicate a preference for the lefthand category
Negative scores indicate a preference for the righthand category

Example:
expressions.ABd (A is on the left; B is on the right) => A (=Christianity) vs. B (=Islam)
positive D-score indicates a preference for Christianity over Islam; negative D-score indicates a preference for Islam over Christianity.

in this script: categories
A: Babies
B: Puppies
C: Kittens
D: Pandas"

I.e., in your case this means:
positive ABd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 2" / negative ABd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 1"
positive ACd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 3" / negative ACd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 1"
positive ADd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 4" / negative ADd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 1"
positive BCd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 3" / negative BCd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 2"
positive BDd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 4" / negative BDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 2"
positive CDd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 4" / negative CDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 3"

Sorry if I am being daft, but I don't understand where do the attribute categories sit within these d-scores? 
By Dave - 5/9/2018

jpmillsphd - Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Dave - Sunday, November 29, 2015
You'll find this covered in the comments of the Multifactor IAT script:

"D-scores obtained with this script:
Positive scores indicate a preference for the lefthand category
Negative scores indicate a preference for the righthand category

Example:
expressions.ABd (A is on the left; B is on the right) => A (=Christianity) vs. B (=Islam)
positive D-score indicates a preference for Christianity over Islam; negative D-score indicates a preference for Islam over Christianity.

in this script: categories
A: Babies
B: Puppies
C: Kittens
D: Pandas"

I.e., in your case this means:
positive ABd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 2" / negative ABd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 1"
positive ACd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 3" / negative ACd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 1"
positive ADd = preference for "culture 1" over "culture 4" / negative ADd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 1"
positive BCd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 3" / negative BCd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 2"
positive BDd = preference for "culture 2" over "culture 4" / negative BDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 2"
positive CDd = preference for "culture 3" over "culture 4" / negative CDd = preference for "culture 4" over "culture 3"

Sorry if I am being daft, but I don't understand where do the attribute categories sit within these d-scores? 

Sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand your question. D-scores are based on response latencies, and targets are paired with attributes to the same response keys.
By jpmillsphd - 5/9/2018

Indeed. d is calculated as one pair target and attribute response latencies minus the second pairing, divide by inclusive standard deviation, right?

For example, good babies versus bad adults - bad babies versus good adults / SD.

Where as you say:

expressions.ABd (A is on the left; B is on the right) => A (=Christianity) vs. B (=Islam)
positive D-score indicates a preference for Christianity over Islam; negative D-score indicates a preference for Islam over Christianity.

Don’t you need to include the pairings in your example to be able to calculate preference?

Again apologies if I’m missing something, I’m replying on my phone which is less than ideal!