Conditional Dependence across Slow and Fast Item Responses: With a Latent Space Item Response Modeling Approach

Abstract

There recently have been many studies examining conditional dependence between response accuracy and response times in cognitive tests. While most previous research has focused on revealing a general pattern of conditional dependence for all respondents and items, it is plausible that the pattern may vary across respondents and items. In this paper, we attend to its potential heterogeneity and examine the item and person specificities involved in the conditional dependence between item responses and response times. To this end, we use a latent space item response theory (LSIRT) approach with an interaction map that visualizes conditional dependence in response data in the form of item–respondent interactions. We incorporate response time information into the interaction map by applying LSIRT models to slow and fast item responses. Through empirical illustrations with three cognitive test datasets, we confirm the presence and patterns of conditional dependence between item responses and response times, a result consistent with previous studies. Our results further illustrate the heterogeneity in the conditional dependence across respondents, which provides insights into understanding individuals’ underlying item-solving processes in cognitive tests. Some practical implications of the results and the use of interaction maps in cognitive tests are discussed.