mudfold: An R Package for Nonparametric IRT Modelling of Unfolding Processes

Authors

Spyros E. Balafas, University of Groningen
Wim P. Krijnen, University of Groningen
Wendy J. Post, University of Groningen
Ernst C. Wit, Universita della Svizzera Italiana

Date of this Version

6-2020

Document Type

Article

Citation

The R Journal (June 2020) 12(1); Editor: Michael J. Kane

Comments

Copyright 2020, The R Foundation. Open access material. License: CC BY 4.0 International

Abstract

Item response theory (IRT) models for unfolding processes use the responses of individuals to attitudinal tests or questionnaires in order to infer item and person parameters located on a latent continuum. Parametric models in this class use parametric functions to model the response process, which in practice can be restrictive. MUDFOLD (Multiple UniDimensional unFOLDing) can be used to obtain estimates of person and item ranks without imposing strict parametric assumptions on the item response functions (IRFs). This paper describes the implementation of the MUDFOLD method for binary preferential-choice data in the R package mudfold. The latter incorporates estimation, visualization, and simulation methods in order to provide R users with utilities for nonparametric analysis of attitudinal questionnaire data. After a brief introduction in IRT, we provide the methodological framework implemented in the package. A description of the available functions is followed by practical examples and suggestions on how this method can be used even outside the field of psychometrics.