An Examination of the Role of Inverted Dark Tetrad Items on Structural Properties and Construct Validity

The use of inverted items is under vigorous debate in psychometric research. However, especially in the field of the Dark Tetrad - a compound of the aversive yet subclinical traits Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism -, the use of items in which high endorsement indicates low levels appears promising to obtain more information about low scores on the four traits. In this preregistered research (N = 500), we developed an alternative version of the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) which - unlike the original SD4 - has a balanced set of regular and inverted items. Following the theory of utilizing inverted items, we demonstrate that more information (in the sense of item response theory) can be obtained from the newly devised Mixed SD4 (MSD4) as compared to the original SD4. Thereby, the scores of the MSD4 can be validly interpreted in the sense of the underlying traits' theories (i.e., construct validity), and the SD4 and the MSD4 yield highly similar nomological networks. We conclude that including inverted items is advantageous for the assessment of the Dark Tetrad. More generally, we present this case as a demonstration that balanced item sets are necessary to capture traits and behaviors exhaustively

Measuring Six Facets of Curiosity in Germany and the UK: A German-Language Adaptation of the 5DCR and Its Comparability with the English-Language Source Version

The five-dimensional curiosity-scale revised (5DCR) by Kashdan et al. (Citation2020) is the most comprehensive curiosity inventory available to date. 5DCR measures six facets of curiosity with four items each. Here, we present a German-language adaptation of the 5DCR and comprehensively validate this adaptation in a diverse sample of adults from Germany (N = 486). Moreover, we provide new evidence on the original English-language 5DCR in a parallel sample from the UK (N = 483). In both countries, we investigate the six facets' reliability, factorial validity, and convergent and discriminant validity with a large set of individual-differences constructs. In addition, we analyze the measurement invariance of the curiosity facets across the UK and Germany and across socio-demographic subgroups defined by age, sex, and education. Findings demonstrate that the new German-language adaptation of 5DCR and its English-language source version show psychometric properties similar to the original studies by Kashdan et al. (Citation2020) in the United States. All six curiosity facets reach at least partial scalar invariance across cultures, sex, education, and mostly also across age groups. The findings support the six-faceted theory of curiosity and show that 5DCR allows for a valid assessment of curiosity across cultures

Fixed is not the opposite of growth: Item keying matters for measuring mindsets

Research on growth mindset, the belief that one’s cognitive abilities are malleable and can be developed through dedication and practice, has received considerable media attention and influenced educational policy and practice. However, mindset theory and measurement have also drawn criticism. In the present paper, we add a cautionary note pertaining to the conceptualization and measurement of growth mindset. Through a critical reanalysis of a large-scale representative study of adolescents from the US (N = 15,362), we show that a growth (i.e., forward-keyed) and a fixed (i.e., reverse keyed) mindset item from a widely used scale are only moderately correlated (r = -.31). Further, we demonstrate that the two items are very differently related with a range of educationally relevant criteria such as learning engagement and self-efficacy, and sociodemographic characteristics such as sex. This leads us to conclude that the growth and fixed mindset items are not mutually interchangeable (apart from keying) indicators of a unidimensional construct that has fixed and growth mindset at its opposing poles. Which items researchers choose to measure mindset (fixed, growth, or a blend thereof) may therefore have a significant impact on the findings they obtain. Our insights highlight the need for greater attention to the conceptual foundations and measurement of mindset in future studies

Measuring Growth Mindset: Validation of a Three-Item and a Single-Item Scale in Adolescents and Adults

A growth mindset is a belief that personal characteristics, specifically intellectual ability, are malleable and can be developed by investing time and effort. Numerous studies have investigated the associations between a growth mindset and academic achievement, and large intervention programs have been established to train adolescents to develop a stronger growth mindset. However, methodological research on the adequacy of the measures used to assess a growth mindset is scarce. In our study, we conducted one of the first comprehensive assessments of the psychometric properties of Dweck's widely used three-item Growth Mindset Scale in two samples (adolescents aged 14-19 years and adults aged 20-64 years). We test the comparability (i.e., measurement invariance) of the scale across these age groups. Furthermore, using the same two samples, we identified and validated a single-item measure to assess growth mindset in settings with severe time constraints. Results reveal that both the three-item and the single-item scales have acceptable psychometric properties regarding reliability, comparability, and validity. However, the results did not support some of the central tenets of mindset theory, such as that a growth mindset is positively linked to goal regulation and achievement, calling for future research on the criterion validity of a growth mindset

Measuring Intellectual Curiosity across Cultures: Validity and Comparability of a New Scale in Six Languages

Intellectual curiosity - the tendency to seek out and engage in opportunities for effortful cognitive activity - is a crucial construct in educational research and beyond. Measures of intellectual curiosity vary widely in psychometric quality, and few measures have demonstrated validity and comparability of scores across multiple languages. We analyzed a novel, six-item intellectual curiosity scale (ICS) originally developed for cross-national comparisons in the context of the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Samples from six countries representing six national languages (U.S. Germany, France, Spain, Poland, and Japan; total N = 5,557) confirmed that the ICS possesses very good psychometric properties. The scale is essentially unidimensional and showed excellent reliability estimates. On top of factorial validity, the scale demonstrated strict measurement invariance across demographic segments (gender, age groups, and educational strata) and at least partial scalar invariance across countries. As per its convergent and divergent associations with a broad range of constructs (e.g., Open-Mindedness and other Big Five traits, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Job Orientations, and Vocational Interests), it also showed convincing construct validity. Given its internal and external relationships, we recommend the ICS for assessing intellectual curiosity, especially in cross-cultural research applications, yet we also point out future research areas

The impact of acute nutritional interventions on the plasma proteome

Context: Humans respond profoundly to changes in diet, while nutrition and environment have a great impact on population health. It is therefore important to deeply characterize the human nutritional responses. Objective: Endocrine parameters and the metabolome of human plasma are rapidly responding to acute nutritional interventions such as caloric restriction or a glucose challenge. It is less well understood whether the plasma proteome would be equally dynamic, and whether it could be a source of corresponding biomarkers. Methods: We used high-throughput mass spectrometry to determine changes in the plasma proteome of i) 10 healthy, young, male individuals in response to 2 days of acute caloric restriction followed by refeeding; ii) 200 individuals of the Ely epidemiological study before and after a glucose tolerance test at 4 time points (0, 30, 60, 120 minutes); and iii) 200 random individuals from the Generation Scotland study. We compared the proteomic changes detected with metabolome data and endocrine parameters. Results: Both caloric restriction and the glucose challenge substantially impacted the plasma proteome. Proteins responded across individuals or in an individual-specific manner. We identified nutrient-responsive plasma proteins that correlate with changes in the metabolome, as well as with endocrine parameters. In particular, our study highlights the role of apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1), a small, understudied apolipoprotein that was affected by caloric restriction and dominated the response to glucose consumption and differed in abundance between individuals with and without type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Our study identifies APOC1 as a dominant nutritional responder in humans and highlights the interdependency of acute nutritional response proteins and the endocrine system

Four simple recommendations to encourage best practices in research software [version 1; referees: awaiting peer review]

Scientific research relies on computer software, yet software is not always developed following practices that ensure its quality and sustainability. This manuscript does not aim to propose new software development best practices, but rather to provide simple recommendations that encourage the adoption of existing best practices. Software development best practices promote better quality software, and better quality software improves the reproducibility and reusability of research. These recommendations are designed around Open Source values, and provide practical suggestions that contribute to making research software and its source code more discoverable, reusable and transparent. This manuscript is aimed at developers, but also at organisations, projects, journals and funders that can increase the quality and sustainability of research software by encouraging the adoption of these recommendations. Keyword

Lysine harvesting is an antioxidant strategy and triggers underground polyamine metabolism

Both single and multicellular organisms depend on anti-stress mechanisms that enable them to deal with sudden changes in the environment, including exposure to heat and oxidants. Central to the stress response are dynamic changes in metabolism, such as the transition from the glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway—a conserved first-line response to oxidative insults1,2. Here we report a second metabolic adaptation that protects microbial cells in stress situations. The role of the yeast polyamine transporter Tpo1p3,4,5 in maintaining oxidant resistance is unknown6. However, a proteomic time-course experiment suggests a link to lysine metabolism. We reveal a connection between polyamine and lysine metabolism during stress situations, in the form of a promiscuous enzymatic reaction in which the first enzyme of the polyamine pathway, Spe1p, decarboxylates lysine and forms an alternative polyamine, cadaverine. The reaction proceeds in the presence of extracellular lysine, which is taken up by cells to reach concentrations up to one hundred times higher than those required for growth. Such extensive harvest is not observed for the other amino acids, is dependent on the polyamine pathway and triggers a reprogramming of redox metabolism. As a result, NADPH—which would otherwise be required for lysine biosynthesis—is channelled into glutathione metabolism, leading to a large increase in glutathione concentrations, lower levels of reactive oxygen species and increased oxidant tolerance. Our results show that nutrient uptake occurs not only to enable cell growth, but when the nutrient availability is favourable it also enables cells to reconfigure their metabolism to preventatively mount stress protection

A time-resolved proteomic and prognostic map of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is highly variable in its clinical presentation, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe organ damage and death. We characterized the time-dependent progression of the disease in 139 COVID-19 inpatients by measuring 86 accredited diagnostic parameters, such as blood cell counts and enzyme activities, as well as untargeted plasma proteomes at 687 sampling points. We report an initial spike in a systemic inflammatory response, which is gradually alleviated and followed by a protein signature indicative of tissue repair, metabolic reconstitution, and immunomodulation. We identify prognostic marker signatures for devising risk-adapted treatment strategies and use machine learning to classify therapeutic needs. We show that the machine learning models based on the proteome are transferable to an independent cohort. Our study presents a map linking routinely used clinical diagnostic parameters to plasma proteomes and their dynamics in an infectious disease

Indeterminism belief protects against uncertainty: first empirical findings

Abstract We empirically explore whether perceptions of (in)determinism are related to the willingness to tolerate uncertainty. We argue that the belief in indeterminism supports a sense of personal autonomy and independence from external influence, a stance that provides protection from perceived uncertainties. Our preliminary study (N = 61) suggests that the belief in an indeterminate world is positively associated with uncertainty tolerance, whereas beliefs in free will and metaphysical dualism are not. We extend these findings by examining proxies of indeterminism belief in a cross-national dataset (N = 31 countries). We find that greater political and personal freedom is associated with higher tolerance for uncertainty, whereas religious belief, which posits a world determined by divine powers, is negatively associated with uncertainty tolerance. With these theoretical ideas and empirical findings, we hope to stimulate research to further advance our understanding of the association between belief in indeterminism and tolerating uncertainty