University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Cito, Psychometric Research Center, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 4;6:34175. doi: 10.1038/srep34175.
Statistical models that analyse (pairwise) relations between variables encompass assumptions about the underlying mechanism that generated the associations in the observed data. In the present paper we demonstrate that three Ising model representations exist that, although each proposes a distinct theoretical explanation for the observed associations, are mathematically equivalent. This equivalence allows the researcher to interpret the results of one model in three different ways. We illustrate the ramifications of this by discussing concepts that are conceived as problematic in their traditional explanation, yet when interpreted in the context of another explanation make immediate sense.
统计模型分析（成对）变量之间的关系，包含对产生观测数据中关联的潜在机制的假设。在本文中，我们证明了存在三种伊辛模型表示，尽管它们各自提出了一个独特的理论解释，但在数学上是等价的。这种等价性允许研究人员以三种不同的方式解释一个模型的结果。我们通过讨论那些在传统解释中被认为有问题的概念来说明这种等价性的影响，而这些概念在另一种解释的背景下就变得有意义了。
