Psychometric comparison of automated versus rational methods of scale abbreviation: An illustration using a brief measure of values

Abstract

A family of automated analyses known as Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have recently been applied to abbreviating scales in the psychological literature. This method allows long scales to be abbreviated in a matter of minutes, representing a huge potential savings of time over standard rational methods, which are based on psychometric analyses. To compare the results of the automated GA approach with those of the traditional approach, we used both methods to abbreviate a 40-item measure of psychological values (Portrait Values Questionnaire). The two methods yielded 10- And 20-item measures of values, which proved to be successful at recapturing the properties of the original measure. The abbrevia..