Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale
Abstract This study investigates intra‐ and interobserver measurement error in craniometry. Data consists of 72 craniometric measurements taken on a series of 28 Sadlermuit Eskimo crania. Utermohle measured the series twice; Zegura measured it once. Statistical procedures used to demonstrate measure...
Published in: | American Journal of Physical Anthropology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
1982
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.1330570307 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 |
id |
crwiley:10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crwiley:10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 2024-06-23T07:52:32+00:00 Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale Utermohle, Charles J. Zegura, Stephen L. 1982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.1330570307 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor American Journal of Physical Anthropology volume 57, issue 3, page 303-310 ISSN 0002-9483 1096-8644 journal-article 1982 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 2024-05-31T08:13:07Z Abstract This study investigates intra‐ and interobserver measurement error in craniometry. Data consists of 72 craniometric measurements taken on a series of 28 Sadlermuit Eskimo crania. Utermohle measured the series twice; Zegura measured it once. Statistical procedures used to demonstrate measurement imprecision include the mean difference, the method error statistic, two‐way anova without replication, the t‐test for paired comparisons, Fisher's distribution‐free sign test, and the t‐test for independent samples. The results indicate less intraobserver repeatability than expected as well as an alarming lack of interobserver reproducibility for many of these craniometric measurements. We hope these results will serve as a caution against the widespread belief that craniometric measurements are always produced with a high degree of precision by experienced craniometrists. In addition, these results suggest that investigators employing craniometric measurements to study population affinities, functional morphology, forensics, fossil primates, and human microevolution might profit from conducting a measurement error analysis as an important baseline for the interpretation of the biological significance of their results. Article in Journal/Newspaper eskimo* Wiley Online Library American Journal of Physical Anthropology 57 3 303 310 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract This study investigates intra‐ and interobserver measurement error in craniometry. Data consists of 72 craniometric measurements taken on a series of 28 Sadlermuit Eskimo crania. Utermohle measured the series twice; Zegura measured it once. Statistical procedures used to demonstrate measurement imprecision include the mean difference, the method error statistic, two‐way anova without replication, the t‐test for paired comparisons, Fisher's distribution‐free sign test, and the t‐test for independent samples. The results indicate less intraobserver repeatability than expected as well as an alarming lack of interobserver reproducibility for many of these craniometric measurements. We hope these results will serve as a caution against the widespread belief that craniometric measurements are always produced with a high degree of precision by experienced craniometrists. In addition, these results suggest that investigators employing craniometric measurements to study population affinities, functional morphology, forensics, fossil primates, and human microevolution might profit from conducting a measurement error analysis as an important baseline for the interpretation of the biological significance of their results. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Utermohle, Charles J. Zegura, Stephen L. |
spellingShingle |
Utermohle, Charles J. Zegura, Stephen L. Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
author_facet |
Utermohle, Charles J. Zegura, Stephen L. |
author_sort |
Utermohle, Charles J. |
title |
Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
title_short |
Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
title_full |
Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
title_fullStr |
Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
title_full_unstemmed |
Intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: A cautionary tale |
title_sort |
intra‐ and interobserver error in craniometry: a cautionary tale |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.1330570307 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 |
genre |
eskimo* |
genre_facet |
eskimo* |
op_source |
American Journal of Physical Anthropology volume 57, issue 3, page 303-310 ISSN 0002-9483 1096-8644 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330570307 |
container_title |
American Journal of Physical Anthropology |
container_volume |
57 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
303 |
op_container_end_page |
310 |
_version_ |
1802643856650403840 |