Data, parameters and models: Some insights in statistical modeling

In this presentation I will talk about three important insights that I have recently acquired regarding modeling and statistical analysis: (1) It is not about these data but other data; (2) it is not about the parameters but about the data; (3) it is not only about this model but also about other models. I will illustrate these insights with examples of recent work carried out by us or others.

This talk is part of a regular Friday Seminar series by the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology / School of Psychology.

Prof Francis Tuerlinckx is a full professor of Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences at the KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Belgium. He received a Master of Psychology degree (1996) and a PhD in psychology (2000) from KU Leuven. He was a postdoc at the Department of Statistics of Columbia University. His research deals with the mathematical modeling of various aspects of human behavior (item response theory, reaction time modeling, and dynamical systems data analysis for human emotions). He is an associate editor of the Journal of Mathematical Psychology.

Currently, he is Past President of the Psychometric Society (presidency in 2018-2019). As of 2019, he became the vice-dean of research in the faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Francis Tuerlinckx teaches at the KU Leuven statistics courses in master programs (psychology and statistics) and doctoral programs (psychology and IOPS).