The importance of incorporating researcher beliefs into statistical models

In this thesis I consider how statistical assumptions are driven by the assumptions the researcher makes about the data. I focus specifically on assumptions surrounding data generation, namely: a) the shape of distribution expected, b) the process by which data were obtained, c) the shape of the outcome distribution, and d) inferring information about missing data. Each chapter of this thesis will focus on one of these assumptions using a combination of tools. I use existing methods and propose new models before exploring from a cognitive perspective the types of inference people make. This allows us to explore the concept of researcher assumptions, and to consider where building them in to the statistical model might be beneficial. In three of the four main chapters of this thesis, I use simulation methods to compare models. The models I consider are both Bayesian and frequentist in framework. The aim of these simulations is not to compare frameworks, but to compare different model structures to ascertain the structure that allows the most accurate claims about the data to be made. There are four main arguments presented in this thesis. First I argue that it is very rare to conduct statistical tests without making some sort of assumption about the data. Second, I demonstrate that for distributional assumptions in a particular type of data, models where the assumptions are not violated can improve the accuracy of the claims made. Thirdly, I present two models that match the assumed generative process of two types of data; contaminated data and data with a heterogeneous effect. I demonstrate that these models are not only more accurate, they also allow the researcher to make richer claims about their data. Finally I experimentally investigate a well-known finding in cognitive psychology|a dislike for ambiguous or missing data. I replicate this preference whilst demonstrating that people are still sensitive to underlying distributional information. Together these findings suggest that the researcher is both sensitive to and makes assumptions about the data. Creating and using statistical models that do not violate the assumptions the researcher makes is important, but building more complicated assumptions into the model can give a richer and more accurate understanding of the data.Thesis (Ph.D.) (Research by Publication) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 201

Closing the Social Distance: Mitigating Gender Inequality in Organizations Using Complexity Theory in Response to Remote Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The following paper is centered around the potential for organizational change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper argues that the disruption of “business as usual” during the COVID-19 pandemic provides opportunities to both highlight gendered organizational practices during remote work and explore how organizational actors might contribute to a more equitable restructuring of gendered communication practices once employees return to in-person work. First, the paper contextualizes the COVID-19 pandemic at the time of writing. Next, the literature review examines the notion of organizations as inherently gendered, the history of organizational change from Lewinian Planned Change to models of non-linear change, and bureaucratic organizational structures using a feminist lens. The discussion section then argues that complexity theories offer significant opportunities for improvement due to the destabilization of current workplace practices. This argument is followed up by examples of how organizations can successfully engage complexity theories to reduce gender inequality in the post-pandemic world. The paper concludes that by emphasizing consensus and autonomy, improvements to network communication and the merging of public and private spheres should be the first steps towards the ultimate goal of reducing gender inequality through the deconstruction of bureaucracies

Distinguishing between automatic positive and negative higher-order restrictive and repetitive behavior

One of the main diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder is the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). These behaviors can include repetitive motions, repetitive speech, and engaging in rituals. These behaviors can often present a variety of challenges for the child and those around them. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate if higher-order RRBs are maintained by automatic positive or automatic negative reinforcement. Results demonstrated that Truman's ritual was maintained by automatic positive reinforcement, and Jaspers ritual was maintained by automatic negative reinforcement. The function of the participants' behavior will influence which treatment packages will be most effective in treating problem behavior associated with the interruption of their rituals

The Male Anti-Circumcision Movement: Ideology, Privilege, and Equity in Social Media

Social media has become a primary way in which various social movements may attempt to gain traction within larger frames of cultural discourse (Obar, Zube, and Lampe 2012). However, not all movements that profess human rights and equality goals are truly egalitarian in their orientation. Many men’s movements are ostensibly about gender equality but fall short of their claims because they fail to come to terms with issues of privilege (Kimmel 2013; Messner 1997, 1998). While the male anti-circumcision movement (sometimes referred to as the Intactivist movement) is less radically anti-feminist and has utilized social media to develop and maintain connections with other human rights movements, it has broadly continued to resist feminist critique and has limited its own achievement of human rights goals. We argue that, by using social media as a way to gain a wider audience and following, many tactics of the Intactivist movement have also alienated many potential supporters because of its fractured message and misalignment with actual equality, which has inhibited its overall growth as a social movement. We draw on Messner’s (1997) model of men’s movements to reflect on the limitations of the Intactivist movement. Through a discussion of examples of such tactics and a case study analysis, we suggest recognizing privilege as a way to align the movement’s interests in human rights and gender equality

The Male Anti-Circumcision Movement: Ideology, Privilege, and Equity in Social Media

Social media has become a primary way in which various social movements may attempt to gain traction within larger frames of cultural discourse (Obar, Zube, and Lampe 2012). However, not all movements that profess human rights and equality goals are truly egalitarian in their orientation. Many men’s movements are ostensibly about gender equality but fall short of their claims because they fail to come to terms with issues of privilege (Kimmel 2013; Messner 1997, 1998). While the male anti-circumcision movement (sometimes referred to as the Intactivist movement) is less radically anti-feminist and has utilized social media to develop and maintain connections with other human rights movements, it has broadly continued to resist feminist critique and has limited its own achievement of human rights goals. We argue that, by using social media as a way to gain a wider audience and following, many tactics of the Intactivist movement have also alienated many potential supporters because of its fractured message and misalignment with actual equality, which has inhibited its overall growth as a social movement. We draw on Messner’s (1997) model of men’s movements to reflect on the limitations of the Intactivist movement. Through a discussion of examples of such tactics and a case study analysis, we suggest recognizing privilege as a way to align the movement’s interests in human rights and gender equality