Kinesiology, Vol. 28 No. 2, 1996.
Original scientific paper
Concept formation via latent variables modeling of motor abilities
Petr Blahuš
; Odjel kinantropologije, Sveučilište Charles, Prag, Republika Češka
Abstract
Scientific theoretical concepts, the abstract attributes sometimes called ‘constructs’, in the area of kinesiology typically such concepts as motor abilities (e.g. endurance, coordination, balance, ...) are very often modelled in terms of statistical models with latent variables (e.g. factor analysis, latent structure analysis, …). The aim of the paper is to explain that from the point of view of the methodology of science this process can be recognized as a case of the so-called "weak associative measurement". The mathematical formulae of the latent variable models are then recognized as the formalized rules of correspondence between the empirical and theoretical attributes, consisting of two basic expressions: (i) a model equation and its axioms which can also be called a “measurement model’, (it) the local independence structure axiom needed for the completeness of the explanation which the model yields. From the point of view of scientific naturalism in the philosophy of science, the formation of the motor ability concepts (as motor coordination etc.) through their latent variables modeling in terms of their empirical indicators (such as motor tests) can then be compared to the parallel process in classical physics as a prototype of a well-developed branch of science.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
255706
URI
Publication date:
13.4.1996.
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