Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of Group and Sex Differences?
In the study of group and sex differences in multivariate domains such as personality and aggression, univariate effect sizes may underestimate the extent to which groups differ from one another. When multivariate effect sizes such as Mahalanobis D are employed, sex differences are often found to be...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2013-12-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Psychology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100511 |
| _version_ | 1797303500145688576 |
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| author | Marco Del Giudice |
| author_facet | Marco Del Giudice |
| author_sort | Marco Del Giudice |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the study of group and sex differences in multivariate domains such as personality and aggression, univariate effect sizes may underestimate the extent to which groups differ from one another. When multivariate effect sizes such as Mahalanobis D are employed, sex differences are often found to be considerably larger than commonly assumed. In this paper, I review and discuss recent criticism concerning the validity of D as an effect size in psychological research. I conclude that the main arguments against D are incorrect, logically inconsistent, or easily answered on methodological grounds. When correctly employed and interpreted, D provides a valid, convenient measure of group and sex differences in multivariate domains. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:53:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bbdeba770a74f708b6f7f149672920a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1474-7049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:53:41Z |
| publishDate | 2013-12-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bbdeba770a74f708b6f7f149672920a2024-02-18T15:06:31ZengSAGE PublishingEvolutionary Psychology1474-70492013-12-011110.1177/14747049130110051110.1177_147470491301100511Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of Group and Sex Differences?Marco Del GiudiceIn the study of group and sex differences in multivariate domains such as personality and aggression, univariate effect sizes may underestimate the extent to which groups differ from one another. When multivariate effect sizes such as Mahalanobis D are employed, sex differences are often found to be considerably larger than commonly assumed. In this paper, I review and discuss recent criticism concerning the validity of D as an effect size in psychological research. I conclude that the main arguments against D are incorrect, logically inconsistent, or easily answered on methodological grounds. When correctly employed and interpreted, D provides a valid, convenient measure of group and sex differences in multivariate domains.https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100511 |
| spellingShingle | Marco Del Giudice Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of Group and Sex Differences? Evolutionary Psychology |
| title | Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of
Group and Sex Differences? |
| title_full | Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of
Group and Sex Differences? |
| title_fullStr | Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of
Group and Sex Differences? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of
Group and Sex Differences? |
| title_short | Multivariate Misgivings: Is a Valid Measure of
Group and Sex Differences? |
| title_sort | multivariate misgivings is a valid measure of group and sex differences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100511 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marcodelgiudice multivariatemisgivingsisavalidmeasureofgroupandsexdifferences |