Measuring Foreign Policy Positions of Members of the US Congress

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyung-Ho Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Theory Model ◽  
Domestic Policy ◽  
Policy Position ◽  
Policy Positions ◽  
Us Congress ◽  
The Us

Studies have shown that a foreign policy position of a member of Congress is often distinct from a domestic one. Despite this, measures commonly used to determine the foreign policy positions of members of Congress are based on congressional votes on domestic as well as foreign policy matters. As foreign policy votes take up only a small portion of all congressional votes, these measures conflate a member’s foreign policy position with his or her domestic policy position. While there are other measures based exclusively on foreign policy votes, these are also problematic because they tend to use a small number of controversial votes and thus inflate extremism. To address these shortcomings, I present a new measure by applying a Bayesian item response theory model to all foreign policy votes. This paper demonstrates the similarities, differences, and advantages of this measure by comparing it with the existing measures in a series of analyses of foreign policy positions of political parties and individual legislators.

scholarly journals A Multidimensional Item Response Theory Model for Continuous and Graded Responses With Error in Persons and Items

2021 ◽  
pp. 001316442199841
Author(s):  
Pere J. Ferrando ◽  
David Navarro-González
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Theory Model ◽  
Response Model ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Continuous Response ◽  
Graded Responses ◽  
Graded Response ◽  
Continuous Responses ◽  
Differential Measurement Error

Item response theory “dual” models (DMs) in which both items and individuals are viewed as sources of differential measurement error so far have been proposed only for unidimensional measures. This article proposes two multidimensional extensions of existing DMs: the M-DTCRM (dual Thurstonian continuous response model), intended for (approximately) continuous responses, and the M-DTGRM (dual Thurstonian graded response model), intended for ordered-categorical responses (including binary). A rationale for the extension to the multiple-content-dimensions case, which is based on the concept of the multidimensional location index, is first proposed and discussed. Then, the models are described using both the factor-analytic and the item response theory parameterizations. Procedures for (a) calibrating the items, (b) scoring individuals, (c) assessing model appropriateness, and (d) assessing measurement precision are finally discussed. The simulation results suggest that the proposal is quite feasible, and an illustrative example based on personality data is also provided. The proposals are submitted to be of particular interest for the case of multidimensional questionnaires in which the number of items per scale would not be enough for arriving at stable estimates if the existing unidimensional DMs were fitted on a separate-scale basis.

Is there an emerging left-wing foreign policy in the United States?

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-48
Author(s):  
Aaron Ettinger
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
The United States ◽  
Military Force ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Post Cold War ◽  
Policy Positions ◽  
The Us ◽  
Foreign Policies

Is there a left-wing foreign policy emerging in the United States? The rise of an energized and assertive left wing of the Democratic Party, and a receptive constituency within the electorate, has opened space for new political possibilities at home. In the foreign policy realm, leftist internationalism is making compelling arguments about new directions. However, there are limitations to the possible realization of a left-wing foreign policy in the US. While candidates like Sanders and Warren are distinctive in a left-wing foreign policy worldview, the practical implications of their foreign policies are consistent with post-Cold War practice. There are two important exceptions: in trade policy and in their positions on the use of military force. Here they mark a sharp break from the liberal internationalist mainstream. This paper outlines five broad principles of left internationalism, assesses the foreign policy positions of leading Democratic candidates for the 2020 nomination, and explores the long-term prospects of left-wing foreign policy in the US after 2020.

On the Validity of Forced Choice Scores Derived From the Thurstonian Item Response Theory Model

Assessment ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 706-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate E. Walton ◽  
Lina Cherkasova ◽  
Richard D. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Criterion Validity ◽  
Theory Model ◽  
Forced Choice ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Test Criterion ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽  
Response Biases

Forced choice (FC) measures may be a desirable alternative to single stimulus (SS) Likert items, which are easier to fake and can have associated response biases. However, classical methods of scoring FC measures lead to ipsative data, which have a number of psychometric problems. A Thurstonian item response theory (TIRT) model has been introduced as a way to overcome these issues, but few empirical validity studies have been conducted to ensure its effectiveness. This was the goal of the current three studies, which used FC measures of domains from popular personality frameworks including the Big Five and HEXACO, and both statement and adjective item stems. We computed TIRT and ipsative scores and compared their validity estimates. Convergent and discriminant validity of the scores were evaluated by correlating them with SS scores, and test-criterion validity evidence was evaluated by examining their relationships with meaningful outcomes. In all three studies, there was evidence for the convergent and test-criterion validity of the TIRT scores, though at times this was on par with the validity of the ipsative scores. The discriminant validity of the TIRT scores was problematic and was often worse than the ipsative scores.

Evaluation of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12) in a Dutch sample: Application of item response theory

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 1867-1873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidwine Brigitta Mokkink ◽  
Francisca Galindo-Garre ◽  
Bernard MJ Uitdehaag
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Item Response Theory ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Theory Model ◽  
Walking Ability ◽  
Response Theory ◽  
Trait Level ◽  
Sample Application ◽  
Dutch Sample

Background: The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12) measures walking ability from the patients’ perspective. We examined the quality of the MSWS-12 using an item response theory model, the graded response model (GRM). Methods: A total of 625 unique Dutch multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were included. After testing for unidimensionality, monotonicity, and absence of local dependence, a GRM was fit and item characteristics were assessed. Differential item functioning (DIF) for the variables gender, age, duration of MS, type of MS and severity of MS, reliability, total test information, and standard error of the trait level (θ) were investigated. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed a unidimensional structure of the 12 items of the scale, explaining 88% of the variance. Item 2 did not fit into the GRM model. Reliability was 0.93. Items 8 and 9 (of the 11 and 12 item version respectively) showed DIF on the variable severity, based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). However, the EDSS is strongly related to the content of both items. Conclusion: Our results confirm the good quality of the MSWS-12. The trait level (θ) scores and item parameters of both the 12- and 11-item versions were highly comparable, although we do not suggest to change the content of the MSWS-12.

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