permutation test for shape trajectory between sexes

[morphmet]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: permutation test for shape trajectory between sexes
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:39:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Stefan Schlager <stefan.schla...@uniklinik-freiburg.de>
To: morphmet@morphometrics.org
References: <4af5219d.1070...@morphometrics.org>

Dear all,

I am currently working on mandibles of two populations and I want to
prove,that there is no common trajectory explaining sexual dimorphism in
both populations.

Analyzing the PCs of the pooled data implied  the ladder- or at least
that there is no common separator between sexes along the axis of the PC
coordinate system.
I now wonder, if I could prove this hypothesis by a permutation test on
the angle of the residual vectors (in the PC coord. syst) between the
sexes means of the two populations.

What I thought was: if the trajectory was about the same, it means that
the residual vector between the sexes' means should point roughly into
the same "direction". -and if this angle is larger for the actual
populations compared to those of randomly assigned populations, this
would proof my hypothesis.

Am I completely misleaded, or could this work?

Many thanks
Stefan

--
Stefan Schlager M.A.
Medizinische Fakultät - Anthropologie
Hebelstr. 29
79104 Freiburg
Tel: +49(0)761/203-5522
Fax: +49(0)761/203-6898




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