In:
International Journal of Behavioral Development, SAGE Publications, Vol. 41, No. 5 ( 2017-09), p. 611-620
Abstract:
In this article, we aim to shed light on a technique to study intra-individual variability that spans the time frame of seconds and minutes, i.e., micro-level development. This form of variability is omnipresent in behavioural development and processes of human experience, yet is often ignored in empirical studies, given a lack of proper analysis tools. The current article illustrates that a clustering technique called Kohonen’s Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), which is widely used in fields outside of psychology, is an accessible technique that can be used to capture intra-individual variability of multivariate data. We illustrate this technique with a case study involving self-experience in the context of a parent–adolescent interaction. We show that, with techniques such as SOM, it is possible to reveal how multiple components of an intra-individual process (the adolescent’s self-affect and autonomy) are non-linearly connected across time, and how these relationships transition in accordance with a changing contextual factor (parental connectedness) during a single interaction. We aim to inspire researchers to adopt this technique and explore the intra-individual variability of more developmental processes, across a variety of domains, as deciphering such micro-level processes is crucial for understanding the nature of psychological and behavioural development.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0165-0254
,
1464-0651
DOI:
10.1177/0165025416651736
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2017
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1466999-7
detail.hit.zdb_id:
432118-2
SSG:
5,2
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