The Psychometrics of the Mini-K
Many published studies have employed the Mini-K to measure a single fast–slow life history dimension. However, the internal structure of the Mini-K has not been determined and it is not clear that a single higher order K-factor fits the data. It is also not clear that the Mini-K is measurement invar...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Psychology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/1474704916682034 |
| _version_ | 1797268910675853312 |
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| author | George B. Richardson Ching-Chen Chen Chia-Liang Dai Michael D. Brubaker Joseph L. Nedelec |
| author_facet | George B. Richardson Ching-Chen Chen Chia-Liang Dai Michael D. Brubaker Joseph L. Nedelec |
| author_sort | George B. Richardson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many published studies have employed the Mini-K to measure a single fast–slow life history dimension. However, the internal structure of the Mini-K has not been determined and it is not clear that a single higher order K-factor fits the data. It is also not clear that the Mini-K is measurement invariant across groups such as the sexes. To establish the construct validity of K as well as the broader usefulness of applying life history theory to humans, it is crucial that these psychometric issues are addressed as a part of measure validation efforts. Here we report on three studies that used latent variable modeling and data drawn from two college student samples ( n s = 361 and 300) to elucidate the psychometrics of the Mini-K. We found that (a) the Mini-K had a six dimensional first-order structure, (b) the K-factor provided a parsimonious explanation of the associations among the lower order factors at no significant cost to fit, (c) the Mini-K measured the same K-factor across the sexes, (d) K-factor means did not have the same meaning across the sexes and thus the first-order factors should be used in studies of mean sex differences, and finally, (e) the K-factor was only associated with environment and aspects of mating competition in females. Implications and future directions for life history research are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:16:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6cc1a90cbb4444459f91b577d5772852 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1474-7049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:39:59Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6cc1a90cbb4444459f91b577d57728522024-03-08T07:03:20ZengSAGE PublishingEvolutionary Psychology1474-70492017-02-011510.1177/147470491668203410.1177_1474704916682034The Psychometrics of the Mini-KGeorge B. Richardson0Ching-Chen Chen1Chia-Liang Dai2Michael D. Brubaker3Joseph L. Nedelec4 School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA University of Nevada–Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA University of Nevada–Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USAMany published studies have employed the Mini-K to measure a single fast–slow life history dimension. However, the internal structure of the Mini-K has not been determined and it is not clear that a single higher order K-factor fits the data. It is also not clear that the Mini-K is measurement invariant across groups such as the sexes. To establish the construct validity of K as well as the broader usefulness of applying life history theory to humans, it is crucial that these psychometric issues are addressed as a part of measure validation efforts. Here we report on three studies that used latent variable modeling and data drawn from two college student samples ( n s = 361 and 300) to elucidate the psychometrics of the Mini-K. We found that (a) the Mini-K had a six dimensional first-order structure, (b) the K-factor provided a parsimonious explanation of the associations among the lower order factors at no significant cost to fit, (c) the Mini-K measured the same K-factor across the sexes, (d) K-factor means did not have the same meaning across the sexes and thus the first-order factors should be used in studies of mean sex differences, and finally, (e) the K-factor was only associated with environment and aspects of mating competition in females. Implications and future directions for life history research are discussed.https://doi.org/10.1177/1474704916682034 |
| spellingShingle | George B. Richardson Ching-Chen Chen Chia-Liang Dai Michael D. Brubaker Joseph L. Nedelec The Psychometrics of the Mini-K Evolutionary Psychology |
| title | The Psychometrics of the Mini-K |
| title_full | The Psychometrics of the Mini-K |
| title_fullStr | The Psychometrics of the Mini-K |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Psychometrics of the Mini-K |
| title_short | The Psychometrics of the Mini-K |
| title_sort | psychometrics of the mini k |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/1474704916682034 |
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