TY - JOUR
T1 - Methodologically sound
T2 - Evaluating the psychometric approach to the assessment of human life history [Reply to Copping, Campbell, and Muncer, 2014]
AU - Figueredo, Aurelio José
AU - de Baca, Tomás Cabeza
AU - Black, Candace Jasmine
AU - García, Rafael Antonio
AU - Fernandes, Heitor Barcellos Ferreira
AU - Wolf, Pedro Sofio Abril
AU - Woodley of Menie, Michael Anthony
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Copping, Campbell, and Muncer (2014) have recently published an article critical of the psychometric approach to the assessment of life history (LH) strategy. Their purported goal was testing for the convergent validation and examining the psychometric structure of the High-K Strategy Scale (HKSS). As much of the literature on the psychometrics of human LH during the past decade or so has emanated from our research laboratory and those of close collaborators, we have prepared this detailed response. Our response is organized into four main sections: (1) A review of psychometric methods for the assessment of human LH strategy, expounding upon the essence of our approach; (2) our theoretical/conceptual concerns regarding the critique, addressing the broader issues raised by the critique regarding the latent and hierarchical structure of LH strategy; (3) our statistical/methodological concerns regarding the critique, examining the validity and persuasiveness of the empirical case made specifically against the HKSS; and (4) our recommendations for future research that we think might be helpful in closing the gap between the psychometric and biometric approaches to measurement in this area. Clearly stating our theoretical positions, describing our existing body of work, and acknowledging their limitations should assist future researchers in planning and implementing more informed and prudent empirical research that will synthesize the psychometric approach to the assessment of LH strategy with complementary methods.
AB - Copping, Campbell, and Muncer (2014) have recently published an article critical of the psychometric approach to the assessment of life history (LH) strategy. Their purported goal was testing for the convergent validation and examining the psychometric structure of the High-K Strategy Scale (HKSS). As much of the literature on the psychometrics of human LH during the past decade or so has emanated from our research laboratory and those of close collaborators, we have prepared this detailed response. Our response is organized into four main sections: (1) A review of psychometric methods for the assessment of human LH strategy, expounding upon the essence of our approach; (2) our theoretical/conceptual concerns regarding the critique, addressing the broader issues raised by the critique regarding the latent and hierarchical structure of LH strategy; (3) our statistical/methodological concerns regarding the critique, examining the validity and persuasiveness of the empirical case made specifically against the HKSS; and (4) our recommendations for future research that we think might be helpful in closing the gap between the psychometric and biometric approaches to measurement in this area. Clearly stating our theoretical positions, describing our existing body of work, and acknowledging their limitations should assist future researchers in planning and implementing more informed and prudent empirical research that will synthesize the psychometric approach to the assessment of LH strategy with complementary methods.
KW - Biometrics
KW - Brunswik-symmetry
KW - Demography
KW - Evolutionary psychology
KW - Life history strategy
KW - Methodology
KW - Psychometrics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928989629&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84928989629&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 25844774
AN - SCOPUS:84928989629
SN - 1474-7049
VL - 13
SP - 299
EP - 338
JO - Evolutionary Psychology
JF - Evolutionary Psychology
IS - 2
ER -