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Quantitude

Science Podcasts

A podcast dedicated to all things quantitative, ranging from the relevant to the highly irrelevant. Co-hosts Patrick Curran and Greg Hancock talk about serious statistical topics, but without taking themselves too seriously. Think: CarTalk hi-jacked by the two grumpy old guys from the Muppets, grousing about quantitative methods, statistics, and data analysis, all presented to you with the production value of a 6th grade school project. But in a good way.

Location:

United States

Description:

A podcast dedicated to all things quantitative, ranging from the relevant to the highly irrelevant. Co-hosts Patrick Curran and Greg Hancock talk about serious statistical topics, but without taking themselves too seriously. Think: CarTalk hi-jacked by the two grumpy old guys from the Muppets, grousing about quantitative methods, statistics, and data analysis, all presented to you with the production value of a 6th grade school project. But in a good way.

Language:

English


Episodes
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S5E24 Zombie Wheel of Distributions

5/7/2024
In this week's episode Patrick and Greg somehow manage to tie together pretending to be sick with game shows with zombies with conspiracy boards to explore the remarkable inter-relations among probability distributions, starting with the Bernoulli and biting their way through the binomial, z, t, chi-square, F, and beyond. Along the way they also discuss having a 122 degree temperature, playing with mercury, daytime TV, Paul Lynde, Vanna White, horses and plows, breeding like cats, the long con, the Swiss vs. the French, Zombieland, the Quincunx, fifth grade math, Lowly Worm, a lazy S, the double tap, and choosing free will. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:47:07

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S5E23 A Rosetta Stone for DAGs and SEM

4/30/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick talk about both structural equation modeling and directed acyclic graphs, or DAGs, where they are similar and where they are different, and try to provide a Rosetta Stone for translating back and forth between the two. Along the way they also discuss pop, garage sales, thinking about excessive thought, roly-polies, potato bugs, been to the cinema, sweet tea, smiley face sub-i, poop hat, the British Museum, fiberglass replicas, love languages, cave drawings, the space-time continuum, coffee shops, a DAGs Czar, We Are The World (with Cyndi Lauper), tennis shoes, and bubblers. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:48:56

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S5E22 Survival Analysis in the Social Sciences: It's About Time

4/23/2024
In this week's episode Patrick and Greg explore the incredibly cool topic of survival analysis, which is a set of techniques that allows for powerful tests of predictors of the amount of time to experiencing an event; yet these models are not often used in many areas of study. Along the way they also discuss the date of your death, running with scissors, Patrick's Audi A8, because she's dead, say my name, the good guys, things that annoy me, you tell me, using your brain, sofa forts, back dating checks, logistic regression on steroids, and coming to the party late. We hope you enjoy this week's episode. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:47:21

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S5E21 Multilevel Factor Analysis: But What Do The Factors Mean?!

4/9/2024
In this week's episode, Greg and Patrick talk about the challenges of combining confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel data, and the underappreciated but absolutely critical role that theory plays in choosing the proper model for your constructs. Along the way they also discuss learning in a second language, torn meniscuseseses, concert C trumpets, nosy neighbors, forts of equations, artillery commanders, saluting cadets, the huffing closet, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Rock'em Sock'em Robots, lactose intolerance, Greg's ATM PIN, our circle of friend, and configural configurations. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:47:28

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S5E20 Local fit...Because Global Fit Measures Suck!

4/2/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick discuss the assessment of global vs. local model fit and they argue that although global measures of fit can be useful, carefully assessing local fit may be of much greater importance in practice. Along the way the also discuss cheap beach house rentals, misplaced sand dunes, Mrs. Lincoln, the child catcher, hushpuppies, cockroach feces, academia as community theater, spikes and smoodges, opening paragraphs, dark and stormy nights, sharp rusty knives, dream teams, DAGs as religion, No Daggity, burly moles, Western Kansas, good bones, and computer defaults. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:46:21

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S5E19 Item Response Theory, Q.E.D.

3/19/2024
In this week's episode Patrick and Greg provide an introduction to the Item Response Theory model: what it is, how it relates to traditional factor analysis, and how this modem approach improves upon some of the limitations of classical test theory. Along the way they also mention weinerness, memorizing Latin for punishment, eggszampke, in ether words, ITR, switching a and b, I’m not defensive - you are, why biostatisticians hate us (page 3 subsection 8), binary babble, EAPs and MAPs, computer adaptive testing on the playground, Bob’s your uncle, and the liberal arts mic drop. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:49:37

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S5E18 Probability on Spring Break

3/12/2024
In this week’s episode, Patrick and Greg play with some of the basics of probability in the context of some classic, fun, and often counterintuitive examples. Along the way they also discuss arguments with relatives, a feel for the roulette wheel, Xeroxing your butt, “The coin has spoken.”, Quantitude BooqQlub, the Bellagio Fountains, Clooney and Pitt look-alikes, the Flippier, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Monty Hall, Ferraris and goats, the birthday problem, how to carve an elephant, and pick-6 lotteries. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:44:14

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S5E17 Classification and Regression Trees with Yi Feng

2/27/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick are honored to visit with Yi Feng, a quantitative methodologist at UCLA, as she helps them understand classification and regression tree analysis. She describes the various ways in which these models can be used, and how these can serve to inform both prediction and explanation. Along the way they also discuss looking pensive, drunken 3-way interactions, Stephen Hawking, parlor tricks, Cartman, validation, dragon boats, anxiety, spam filters, hair loss, audio visualizations, overused tree analogies, rainbows & unicorns, rain in Los Angeles, and Moneyball. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:50:46

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S5E16 Simpson's Paradox

2/20/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick talk about Simpson’s Paradox: what it is, examples of where it occurs in real life, and why we might not really need to think about it as a paradox at all. Along the way they also discuss Apple Vision, The Simpsons predicting the future, sitting too close to the TV, low levels of radiation, Paul the octopus, Blinky, shtuff, duck duck duck, Jonathan the tortoise, batting averages, bad at fractions, Cal Berkeley admissions, GDP and happiness, exercise and heart attacks, and Double Super Secret whatever. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:33:43

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S5E15 Classical Test Theory (in bed)

2/6/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick take a walk down memory lane to rediscover classical test theory, although they revisit this through the lens of modern latent variable models. They describe how these classical methods are actually highly restricted latent measurement models and they explore how these restrictions can be relaxed and even tested. Along the way they also discuss weird dates, free Tupperware, yellow fatty beans, advice cookies, in bed, scalloped tiles, scales at NASA, important footnotes, working in your garden, being buck naked, Dark Side of the Moon, squarshing, deserving variance, and when the cops show up. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:49:51

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S5E14 Regression to the Mean

1/30/2024
In this week's episode Patrick and Greg launch a new occasional series called Stuff You Should Know. The topic for today is regression to the mean: what the heck is it, how does it arise in every day life, and what can we do about it. Along the way they also discuss the space-time continuum, Kai Ryssdal, inflation, witches of MacBeth, the hidden curriculum, oh dang, sh*t (ummm...STUFF) you should know, SAT prep courses, the triumph of mediocrity, angstroms, blobs. reinventing history, and being patronizing. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:34:46

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S5E13 The Confidence Interval's Tale

1/23/2024
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick talk about confidence intervals: symmetric and asymmetric, asymptotic and bootstrapped, how to interpret them, and how not to interpret them. Along the way they also mention tire pressure gauge mysteries, conference travel reimbursement, phases of the moon, gyroscopic effects, baseball walk-of-shame, why people hate us, settling out of court, confidence tricks, Mack JcArdle, Shakespearean means, lipstick on a pig, the cat rating scale, the Miller's Tale, hot pokers, inverse hyperbolic tangents (duh), and Quantitude out-takes. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:47:04

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S5E12 Meta-Analysis With Paschal Sheeran

1/16/2024
In this week's episode Patrick and Greg have great fun talking about meta-analysis with Paschal Sheeran, a social psychologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He describes what meta-analysis is, what it offers, and how to apply it in your own work. Along the way they also discuss taking off into the north vs the south, flipping people off, being subtle, metaphysics, say my name, most effective tactic available, fleeing Ireland, struggling to fit in, falling off a bus, taking the piss out of your own work, opposable thumbs, descriptive descriptions, sleepwalking reviewers, the wild west, the importance of cake, living the dream, and the five stages of meta-analysis. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:43:11

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S5E11 Statistical Ideas That Die Hard

12/12/2023
In this week's episode, marking the fifth Quantitude Holiday Celebration, Greg and Patrick argue about their favorite holiday movies, including whether Die Hard counts as one or not; they then proceed to discuss several statistical ideas that also seem to Die Hard. Along the way they talk about so much gibberish that we don't even bother listing it here. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:44:06

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S5E10 Nonlinear Latent Growth Curve Models (Taylor's Version)

12/5/2023
In this week's episode Greg and Patrick explore alternative parameterizations of the SEM-based latent curve model to capture various forms of nonlinearity, some that are approximations and others that are exact. Along the way they also discuss Swifties, remastering your life, bull testicles, the world's worst RA job, Yerkes-Dodson law, show a little ankle, the St. Louis Arch, bachelorette parties, deck screws, DIY-ing a model, being a little too quiet, complete nonsense, blasting your pecs, haters gonna hate, the worst day ever, Frankenspline's monster, being left off at the third floor, and looking for a new cohost. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:49:50

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S5E09 Regularized Variable Selection Methods

11/28/2023
In today’s episode Greg and Patrick talk about regularization, which includes ridge, LASSO, and elastic net procedures for variable selection within the general linear model and beyond. Along the way they also mention Bowdlerizing, The Family Shakespeare, disturbance in the force, McNeish on his bike, Spandex, C’mon guys wait up, the altar of unbiasedness, Curranizing, shooting arrows, stepwise goat rodeo, volume knobs, Hancockizing, always angry, getting slapped, betting a chicken, mission from God, hypothetico-deductive porpoising, and letting go of truth (which you can’t handle anyway). Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:51:52

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S5E08 Confirmatory Composite Analysis: Enter the Hexagon

11/14/2023
In today’s episode, Greg and Patrick dig into Confirmatory Composite Analysis, a very clever way to get formative factors and their causal indicators into the traditional structural equation modeling framework, along with any other latent factors and their effect indicators that might already be in the model. Along the way they also mention full-contact Wordle, being grounded, spelling bees, state capitals, definitions of leadership, a many ways, rabbit or duck, set of steak knives, canonical correlation vs. Homer Simpson, secret sauce, Quantitude Word of the Day, Who’s a good boy?, the man behind the curtain, Penn and Tellering, a new symbol, Beavis, and car stereo wiring diagrams. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:48:58

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S5E07 Perspectives on Formative Factors & Causal Indicators

11/7/2023
In today’s episode, Patrick and Greg talk about the challenge of having causal indicators of formative factors within an analytical framework that is historically dominated by effect indicators and latent factors — and the critical importance of getting your arrows right. Along the way they also mention: self help books, habits, Hagrid and the giants, When Arrows Attack, The Handbook of SEM, the evil eye factor, defining your terms, the meaning of IS, minority reports, putting your fist through the office wall, lawyering, being deposed, How does it know?, doubling down, and bad JFK impressions. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:47:36

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S5E06 Advanced Factor Structures

10/31/2023
In today’s episode, Patrick and Greg talk about fun extensions to the basic confirmatory factor model, including higher order models, bifactor or residualized models, and multitrait-multimethod models. Along the way they also mention microscope lab, burning ants, substitute teaching, Cool or Creepy?, Monet, Clueless, haystacks, hotdogs, What are you thinking?, pennies and pounds, party like it’s 1904, potluck freeloaders, lips and a**holes, promiscuous models, and shock absorbers. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:46:32

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S5E05 Multilevel Models Unleashed

10/17/2023
In this week’s episode Greg and Patrick take advantage of the recent expiration of a statute of limitations that legally allows them to talk about the multilevel model: what it is, when we might use it, and extremely cool extensions that it allows. Along the way they also discuss hostile federal judges, McNeish, airing of grievances, Gauss and Markov’s corpses, Sesame Street, distributional baguettes, naivete, sentient GLMs, two pencil necks, Thor’s Hammer, Willy Sutton, Siren’s Song, peer groups of two, fighting good for an old guy, crazy town cool, 50 ducks, conceding a battle, and blushing corpses. Stay in contact with Quantitude! @quantitudepodquantitudepod.orgredbubble.com

Duration:00:55:33