Video games are played by more than 1.8 billion people and are a pervasive force in society, but despite decades of research there has been little consensus on their effects. Before we are able to model complex outcomes such as excessive engagement, we must first understand how and why people play video games. This dissertation integrates latent factor models with techniques from machine learning and network analysis to develop a holistic picture of gaming style, motivations, and individual differences. It employs diverse sources of data across several studies and a total of 2,143 participants, combining online questionnaires with qualitative analysis of participant responses and objective information about gaming behaviour from the API of the popular gaming network "Steam", and finds that stress relief is a primary motivation for engaging in the immersive worlds of video games. Previous research has indicated three underlying factors of Immersion, Achievement and Socialising which replicated across three comprehensive studies of 480 adults, 106 adults and children with an Autism Spectrum Condition, and 961 adults and adolescents. Gamers experiencing more stress in their daily lives were more likely to have Immersion rather than Social or Achievement play styles. Achievement-oriented gamers tended to be lower in stress, higher in conscientiousness and emotional stability, and played more than Immersion-focused gamers. A qualitative analysis of 54 gamers' descriptions of why they recently chose to play a game was used to develop the "Reasons for Playing Video Games" items (RPVG), which were administered to independent samples of 243, 299 and 961 gamers. The qgraph R package was used to perform network analyses of the RPVG items and gameplay style factors, employing the machine learning-based adaptive LASSO technique to estimate a partial correlation matrix from a set of variables as a Pairwise Markov Random Field. Gamers higher in Immersion tended to play for escapism, distraction, and fantasy, while social gamers played for excitement, energy, and self-expression. Network analysis and graph theory illustrate the central role of stress relief in the network of Reasons for Playing Video Games and shows that playing when feeling stressed is strongly linked with Immersion.

Diagnostic paradigms are becoming an alternative to normative approaches in educational assessment. One of the principal objectives of diagnostic assessment is to determine skill proficiency for tasks that demand the use of specific cognitive processes. Ideally, diagnostic assessments should include accurate information about the skills required to correctly answer each item in a test, as well as any additional evidence about the interaction between those cognitive constructs. Nevertheless, little research in the field has focused on the types of interactions (i.e., the condensation rules) among skills in models for cognitive diagnosis. The present study introduces a Bayesian approach to determine the underlying interaction among the skills measured by a given item when comparing among models with conjunctive, disjunctive, and compensatory condensation rules. Following the reparameterization framework proposed by DeCarlo (2011), the present study includes transformations for disjunctive and compensatory models. Next, a methodology that compares between pairs of models with different condensation rules is presented; parameters in the model and their distribution were defined considering former Bayesian approaches proposed in the literature. Simulation studies and empirical studies were performed to test the capacity of the model to correctly identify the underlying condensation rule. Overall, results from the simulation study showed that the correct condensation rule is correctly identified across conditions. The results showed that the correct condensation rule identification depends on the item parameter values used to generate the data and the use of informative prior distributions for the model parameters. Latent class sizes parameters for the skills and their respective hyperparameters also showed a good recovery in the simulation study. The recovery of the item parameters presented limitations, so some guidelines to improve their estimation are presented in the results and discussion sections. The empirical studies highlighted the usefulness of this approach in determining the interaction among skills using real items from a mathematics test and a language test. Despite the differences in their area of knowledge and Q-matrix structure, results indicated that both tests are composed in a higher proportion of conjunctive items that demand the mastery of all skills.

While research suggests that blatant expressions of racism are on the decline, more subtle forms of bias persist (Dovidio & Gartner, 2004; Nosek, Banaji, & Greenwald, 2002). These biases can be automatic and unintentional, often occurring outside conscious awareness. Studies suggest that developing awareness is the first step to moderating discriminatory thoughts and behaviors (Divine & Monteith, 1993; Dovidio & Gaertner, 2004; Durrheim, Hook, & Riggs, 2009; Monteith & Voils, 1998). When White Americans are aware of their biases, they are more likely to adjust their attitudes and alter their behaviors. Crucially, when biases go unacknowledged, there are fewer opportunities to combat unintentional racism. As a result, the tendency to disavow racial biases demands scholarly attention. In order to further research in this area, a way of measuring awareness of racial bias is needed. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop and initially validate the Disavowal of Racial Bias Scale (DRB). A review of the research on racial bias helped generate 38 initial items. An empirical approach was then used to determine an optimal version of the scale. In Phase 1, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of data from 579 participants suggested a 2-factor model with a total of 24 items. The first factor was named Bias Examples because it included statements referring to specific examples of racial bias. The second factor was named Bias Existence because it included statements referring to the general phenomenon of racial bias. In Phase 2, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of data from a second subsample of 579 participants was used to confirm the factor structure identified in Phase 1. Both subscales demonstrated high internal consistency, providing evidence of the DRB's reliability. Further psychometric evaluations provided evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. However, the 2-factor model did not appear to be reasonably consistent with the data as evidenced by a poor model fit. Although there are many promising aspects of the final 24-item DRB, more work is needed to make it a valid measure for future use. Limitations of this study and recommendations for future scale development in this area will be discussed.

The need for formative assessments has led to the development of a psychometric framework known as diagnostic classification models (DCMs), which are mathematical measurement models designed to estimate the possession or mastery of a designated set of skills or attributes within a chosen construct. Furthermore, much research has gone into the practice of “retrofitting” diagnostic measurement models to existing assessments in order to improve their diagnostic capability. Although retrofitting DCMs to existing assessments can theoretically improve diagnostic potential, it is also prone to challenges including identifying multidimensional traits from largely unidimensional assessments, a lack of assessments that are suitable for the DCM framework, and statistical quality, specifically highly correlated attributes and poor model fit. Another recent trend in assessment has been a move towards creating more authentic constructed-response assessments. For such assessments, rubric-based scoring is often seen as method of providing reliable scoring and interpretive formative feedback. However, rubric-scored tests are limited in their diagnostic potential in that they are usually used to assign unidimensional numeric scores. It is the purpose of this thesis to propose general methods for retrofitting DCMs to rubric-scored assessments. Two methods will be proposed and compared: (1) automatic construction of an attribute hierarchy to represent all possible numeric score levels from a rubric-scored assessment and (2) using rubric criterion score level descriptions to imply an attribute hierarchy. This dissertation will describe these methods, discuss the technical and mathematical issues that arise in using them, and apply and compare both methods to a prominent rubric-scored test of critical thinking skills, the Collegiate Learning Assessment+ (CLA+). Finally, the utility of the proposed methods will be compared to a reasonable alternative methodology: the use of polytomous IRT models, including the Graded Response Model (GRM), the Partial Credit Model (PCM), and the Generalized-Partial Credit Model (G-PCM), for this type of test score data.

Introdução: Diversos instrumentos têm sido propostos na literatura internacional para medir atributos da religiosidade e espiritualidade. A Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) é um instrumento que busca acessar a dimensão espiritual por meio de experiências que se manifestam na vida diária, como gratidão, compaixão, paz interior, conexão com o transcendente, sem envolvimento com crenças ou comportamentos de uma religião específica. A DSES original e as versões para diferentes países, entre eles o Brasil, foram desenvolvidas e validadas com base na Teoria Clássica dos Testes (TCT). A Teoria da Resposta ao Item (TRI) é uma abordagem da Psicometria Moderna que complementa a TCT incluindo novos métodos para construção, validação e refinamento de instrumentos de medida, entre os quais destaca-se o Método de Rasch. Uma das grandes contribuições deste método é a obtenção de medidas intervalares, permitindo coletar dados de melhor qualidade. Objetivo: Avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira da Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, utilizando o Método Rasch. Método: Este estudo teve como base os dados coletados para a validação clássica da versão brasileira da DSES. Este instrumento e outro de caracterização da amostra foram aplicados por meio de entrevista a 179 pacientes internados em unidades de clínica médica e cirúrgica de dois hospitais, com idade mínima de 18 anos. A DSES é composta de 16 itens, considerados unidimensionais, que são respondidos em escala do tipo Likert variando de 1 a 6 pontos nos 15 primeiros itens e de 1 a 4, no item 16. Menores pontuações no escore total refletem maior freqüência de experiências espirituais. Os itens da DSES foram analisados individualmente quanto à unidimensionalidade e à independência local, com análises seqüenciais das propriedades de aditividade (comportamento das categorias de resposta), Invariância dos itens (Funcionamento Diferencial dos Itens DIF), objetividade específica (calibragem dos itens) e consistência interna (Person Separation Index-PSI). A análise de Rasch foi efetuada com o software RUMM2020. Resultados: Na análise inicial (ajuste dos itens ao modelo Rasch), a unidimensionalidade não foi confirmada e três itens apresentaram dependência local. Cinco itens mostraram categorias de respostas desordenadas, com melhora nos padrões de respostas após colapsar os limiares para quatro categorias. O item 7 pedir ajuda de Deus apresentou DIF em relação à religião e o item 14 aceitação dos outros, em relação a sexo e religião. A exclusão dos itens problemáticos e o ajuste nas categorias das respostas melhoraram o ajuste geral ao modelo. Quanto à objetividade específica, foi observado que os itens alcançaram as pessoas com maior frequência nas experiências espirituais. Embora necessite de alguns ajustes, a versão brasileira da DSES pode ser considerada como uma escala Rasch. Sugere-se a realização de novas pesquisas, em outros contextos e populações, para verificar se o instrumento preserva suas propriedades psicométricas quando analisado pelo método de Rasch. / Introduction: Several instruments have been proposed in the international literature to measure attributes of religiosity and spirituality. The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) is an instrument that seeks to access the spiritual dimension through experiences that manifest in daily life, with no involvement with beliefs or behaviors of a specific religion. The original DSES and its versions for different countries, including Brazil, have been developed and validated based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). The Item Response Theory (IRT) is an approach of the Modern Psychometrics that complements the CTT including new methods for construction, validation and refinement of measuring instruments, among which stands out the Rasch method. A major contribution of this method is to obtain interval measurements, allowing the collection of better data. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale using the Rasch method. Method: This study was based on data collected for the classic validation of the Brazilian version of the DSES. This instrument and another for sample characterization were applied by interview to 179 patients with minimum age of 18, in clinical and surgical units of two hospitals. The DSES consists of 16 items, considered unidimensional, which are answered on Likert type scale ranging from 1 to 6 points in the first 15 items and from 1 to 4, in the item 16. Lower scores on the total score reflect a higher frequency of spiritual experiences. The DSES items were analyzed individually as the Unidimensionality and Local Independence, with sequential analysis of the properties of aditivity (pattern of the response categories), invariance (Differential Item Functioning - DIF), specific objectivity (calibration of the items) and internal consistency (Person Separation Index-PSI). Rasch analysis was performed using the software RUMM2020. Results: In the initial analysis (adjustment of the items to the model) the unidimensionality wasnt confirmed and three items showed local dependency. Five items showed disordered response categories, with improvement in the response patterns after collapsing thresholds for four categories. The item 7 ask for help from God had DIF related to religion and item 14 acceptance of others in relation to sex and religion. The exclusion of problematic items and fit into the response categories improved overall adjustment to the model. As for specific objectivity, it was observed that the items reached people with more often frequencies in spiritual experiences. Although it needs some adjustments, the Brazilian version of DSES can be considered as a Rasch scale. It is suggested to conduct further research in different contexts and populations to verify if the instrument preserves its psychometric properties when analyzed by the Rasch method.

Introdução: Diversos instrumentos têm sido propostos na literatura internacional para medir atributos da religiosidade e espiritualidade. A Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) é um instrumento que busca acessar a dimensão espiritual por meio de experiências que se manifestam na vida diária, como gratidão, compaixão, paz interior, conexão com o transcendente, sem envolvimento com crenças ou comportamentos de uma religião específica. A DSES original e as versões para diferentes países, entre eles o Brasil, foram desenvolvidas e validadas com base na Teoria Clássica dos Testes (TCT). A Teoria da Resposta ao Item (TRI) é uma abordagem da Psicometria Moderna que complementa a TCT incluindo novos métodos para construção, validação e refinamento de instrumentos de medida, entre os quais destaca-se o Método de Rasch. Uma das grandes contribuições deste método é a obtenção de medidas intervalares, permitindo coletar dados de melhor qualidade. Objetivo: Avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira da Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, utilizando o Método Rasch. Método: Este estudo teve como base os dados coletados para a validação clássica da versão brasileira da DSES. Este instrumento e outro de caracterização da amostra foram aplicados por meio de entrevista a 179 pacientes internados em unidades de clínica médica e cirúrgica de dois hospitais, com idade mínima de 18 anos. A DSES é composta de 16 itens, considerados unidimensionais, que são respondidos em escala do tipo Likert variando de 1 a 6 pontos nos 15 primeiros itens e de 1 a 4, no item 16. Menores pontuações no escore total refletem maior freqüência de experiências espirituais. Os itens da DSES foram analisados individualmente quanto à unidimensionalidade e à independência local, com análises seqüenciais das propriedades de aditividade (comportamento das categorias de resposta), Invariância dos itens (Funcionamento Diferencial dos Itens DIF), objetividade específica (calibragem dos itens) e consistência interna (Person Separation Index-PSI). A análise de Rasch foi efetuada com o software RUMM2020. Resultados: Na análise inicial (ajuste dos itens ao modelo Rasch), a unidimensionalidade não foi confirmada e três itens apresentaram dependência local. Cinco itens mostraram categorias de respostas desordenadas, com melhora nos padrões de respostas após colapsar os limiares para quatro categorias. O item 7 pedir ajuda de Deus apresentou DIF em relação à religião e o item 14 aceitação dos outros, em relação a sexo e religião. A exclusão dos itens problemáticos e o ajuste nas categorias das respostas melhoraram o ajuste geral ao modelo. Quanto à objetividade específica, foi observado que os itens alcançaram as pessoas com maior frequência nas experiências espirituais. Embora necessite de alguns ajustes, a versão brasileira da DSES pode ser considerada como uma escala Rasch. Sugere-se a realização de novas pesquisas, em outros contextos e populações, para verificar se o instrumento preserva suas propriedades psicométricas quando analisado pelo método de Rasch. / Introduction: Several instruments have been proposed in the international literature to measure attributes of religiosity and spirituality. The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) is an instrument that seeks to access the spiritual dimension through experiences that manifest in daily life, with no involvement with beliefs or behaviors of a specific religion. The original DSES and its versions for different countries, including Brazil, have been developed and validated based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). The Item Response Theory (IRT) is an approach of the Modern Psychometrics that complements the CTT including new methods for construction, validation and refinement of measuring instruments, among which stands out the Rasch method. A major contribution of this method is to obtain interval measurements, allowing the collection of better data. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale using the Rasch method. Method: This study was based on data collected for the classic validation of the Brazilian version of the DSES. This instrument and another for sample characterization were applied by interview to 179 patients with minimum age of 18, in clinical and surgical units of two hospitals. The DSES consists of 16 items, considered unidimensional, which are answered on Likert type scale ranging from 1 to 6 points in the first 15 items and from 1 to 4, in the item 16. Lower scores on the total score reflect a higher frequency of spiritual experiences. The DSES items were analyzed individually as the Unidimensionality and Local Independence, with sequential analysis of the properties of aditivity (pattern of the response categories), invariance (Differential Item Functioning - DIF), specific objectivity (calibration of the items) and internal consistency (Person Separation Index-PSI). Rasch analysis was performed using the software RUMM2020. Results: In the initial analysis (adjustment of the items to the model) the unidimensionality wasnt confirmed and three items showed local dependency. Five items showed disordered response categories, with improvement in the response patterns after collapsing thresholds for four categories. The item 7 ask for help from God had DIF related to religion and item 14 acceptance of others in relation to sex and religion. The exclusion of problematic items and fit into the response categories improved overall adjustment to the model. As for specific objectivity, it was observed that the items reached people with more often frequencies in spiritual experiences. Although it needs some adjustments, the Brazilian version of DSES can be considered as a Rasch scale. It is suggested to conduct further research in different contexts and populations to verify if the instrument preserves its psychometric properties when analyzed by the Rasch method.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2014-10-15T19:55:27Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sarah Vieira Brasileiro - 2012.pdf: 1160405 bytes, checksum: b447baafe8b8b6924a80db0ea434688c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-10-16T18:08:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sarah Vieira Brasileiro - 2012.pdf: 1160405 bytes, checksum: b447baafe8b8b6924a80db0ea434688c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-16T18:08:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Sarah Vieira Brasileiro - 2012.pdf: 1160405 bytes, checksum: b447baafe8b8b6924a80db0ea434688c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-30 / Evidence indicates that some strategies of coping may play an important role in the disease psychological adaptation. It is important to evaluate the different ways of how people respond to stressful situations. Questionnaires for the assessment of coping have been widely used and recommended both in clinical practice and for research. The aim of this study was therefore to adapt the Brief COPE for the Brazilian population and to evaluate the psychometric properties of this instrument in a Brazilian sample. The cross-cultural adaptation of the Brief COPE followed procedures recommended by Beaton et al. and the final version was tested on a sample of 30 patients. Two hundred and thirty-seven individuals participated in the evaluation of the psychometric properties of the adapted version (Brief COPE). The intra-observer reliability was assessed in the reapplication of the Brief COPE after four weeks by the same observer. Factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the factorial validity of the Brief COPE. The internal consistency was estimated using the Cronbach’s alpha, calculated for each sub-scale and full scale factors. Regarding the results, the test-retest rateswere mostly above 0.75, demonstrating good reliability. Cronbach’s alpha for the whole Brief Cope was 0.84; 2 out of 14 sub-scales achieved Cronbach's alpha of at least 0.70, the other sub-scales were below this parameter. Factor analysis revealed four factors. We conclude that the Brief COPE was properly translated for use in the Brazilian population, demonstrating to be a reliable instrument to assess coping strategies. / Evidências indicam que algumas estratégias de coping podem desempenhar um papel importante na adaptação psicológica à doença. Faz-se importante avaliar as diferentes formas de como as pessoas respondem a situações estressantes. Questionários para avaliação do coping têm sido amplamente utilizados e recomendados tanto na prática clínica como em pesquisas. O Brief COPE é um inventário usado para investigar as diferentes formas de como as pessoas respondem a situações estressantes. O objetivo deste estudo, portanto, foi adaptar culturalmente o Brief COPE para a população brasileira e avaliar as propriedades psicométricas deste instrumento em uma amostra de brasileiros. A adaptação transcultural do Brief COPE seguiu procedimentos recomendados por Beaton et al. e a versão final foi testada em uma amostra de 30 pacientes. Duzentos e trinta e sete indivíduos participaram da avaliação das propriedades psicométricas da versão adaptada (COPE Breve). A confiabilidade intra-observador foi avaliada na reaplicação do COPE Breve após quatro semanas pelo mesmo observador. A análise fatorial exploratória foi conduzida para avaliar a validade fatorial do COPE Breve. A avaliação da consistência interna foi estimada por meio do Coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach, calculado para cada sub-escala, fatores e escala total. Com relação aos resultados, os índices de confiabilidade apresentaram valores elevados, onde a maioria ficou acima de 0,75. A escala total apresentou Alfa de Cronbach = 0,84, demonstrando elevada consistência. A análise fatorial revelou quatro fatores. Concluímos que o Brief COPE foi adequadamente traduzido para ser utilizado na população brasileira, demonstrando ser um instrumento confiável para avaliar a estratégias de coping.

A versão infantil do Teste de Ler a Mente nos Olhos (Reading the Mind in Eyes Test - Child Version ) de Simon Baron-Cohen, é composto por 28 fotografias da região dos olhos de indivíduos com diferentes expressões e tem como objetivo uma quantificação da habilidade do indivíduo em inferir estados mentais a partir de expressões faciais, sendo usualmente utilizado como um instrumento para avaliação de Teoria da Mente. Neste trabalho foi feito um estudo de validade de uma versão em português do teste, visando maiores esclarecimentos acerca de suas propriedades psicométricas. O teste foi aplicado em uma amostra controle de 434 crianças de dois estados brasileiros, São Paulo e Santa Catarina, cursando o ensino fundamental e em uma amostra clínica de 20 crianças diagnosticadas com Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo. Foram encontrados um índice de consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach) de 0,718 e variância estatisticamente significativa de acordo com o ano escolar. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas com relação ao sexo e Estado. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa nos escores dos grupos controle e clínico. Os resultados foram, portanto, parcialmente favoráveis para validade de construto, mas não foram encontradas evidências de validade critério / The \"Reading the Mind in Eyes Test - Child Version\" by Simon Baron-Cohen, consists of 28 photographs of the eye region of people with different expressions and aim a quantification of the individual\'s ability to infer mental states from facial expressions, and is usually used as an instrument for assessing Theory of Mind. This paper is a study of validity of a Portuguese version of the test, seeking further clarification about its psychometric properties. The test was applied to a control group of 434 children from two Brazilian states, Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina, in elementary school and a clinical group of 20 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We found an index of internal consistency (Cronbach\'s alpha) of 0.718 and statistically significant variance in accordance with the school year. There were no significant differences with regard to gender and state. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores of clinical and control groups. The results were therefore partially favorable to construct validity, but there was no evidence of criterion validity

This study explored industrial psychologists’ perceptions of personality assessment in personnel selection and the issues associated with personality assessment in South African organisations. This was a qualitative study in which 11 industrial psychologists (2 male, 9 female) were interviewed to determine the reasons why personality assessment is or is not used for selection purposes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted which comprised of 11 questions related to the industrial psychologists context, understanding the place of personality assessment in personnel selection in organisational settings in South Africa and a view of common practice employed in organisational settings in South Africa. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. The analysis resulted in five themes namely, person-environment fit; other purposes for which personality assessment are used; personality tests commonly employed; limitations of personality assessment; and ethical considerations with the use of personality assessment. Based on these themes it can be concluded that there is invaluable information gained from determining whether or not a person will fit into the organisation. Therefore, person-environment fit theory is a crucial theory that underpins the use of personality assessment in personnel selection. Further research is required in the field of psychometric assessments in organisational settings within the South African context in terms of addressing the various ethical issues the administrators are currently facing.

One of the most important decisions to make when performing an exploratory factor or principal component analysis regards the number of factors to retain. Parallel analysis is considered to be the best course of action in these circumstances as it consistently outperforms other factor extraction methods (Zwick & Velicer, 1986). Even so, parallel analysis could benefit from further research and refinement to improve its accuracy. Characteristics such as factor loadings, correlations between factors, and number of variables per factor all have been shown to adversely impact the effectiveness of parallel analysis as a means of identifying the number of factors (Pearson, Mundfrom, & Piccone, 2013). Critically, even the choice of criteria on which to evaluate factors (such as the eigenvalue at the 50th or 95th percentile) can have deleterious effects on the number of factors extracted (Peres-Neto, Jackson, & Somers, 2004). One area of parallel analysis yet to be researched is the magnitude of the difference between the actual eigenvalue and the random data-based eigenvalue. Currently, even if the margin between the actual eigenvalue and the random data-based eigenvalue is nominal, the factor is considered to be meaningful. As such, it may behoove researchers to enforce a higher standard, such as a greater margin between the two eigenvalues than just a simple difference. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 10% margin criterion as compared to an absolute margin. These margins were evaluated in conjunction with the 50th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentile eigenvalue criteria on a population correlation matrix designed to engender underextraction. Previous research (Matsumoto & Brown, 2017) explored the same conditions on a population correlation matrix designed to elicit overextraction. They found that the most stringent standard (99th percentile eigenvalue plus a 10% margin) was the most accurate. For the present study however, it was hypothesized that the most accurate results would be obtained from a standard less stringent than the 99th percentile eigenvalue plus a 10% margin. The results suggest that when a correlation matrix has properties which may illicit underextraction, the use of less stringent criteria may lead to greater accuracy in identifying the number of factors and that the incorporation of an additional margin criterion may not improve the accuracy of the analysis.