Most frequent transitions

When considering variables with more than two or three categories the diagram becomes confusing because of the high number of represented links. As a first transformation we suggest to plot only the most frequent transitions. Only the transitions that have the greatest frequency for each state $i$ are plotted (thus there are only $m$ transition plotted, where $m$ is the number of different states). Later we will statistically test transitions and then plot only the significant ones.

The resulting state transition diagram for the place variable yields the picture on figure 4.15 ^4.14.

Figure 4.15: State transition diagram for MFT of PLACE variable

The subject had the tendency to remain in the same place when she was at home (in 92% of cases), at her friends' place (in 64% of the cases) and at work (in 47% of cases). Those "states" are considered as much more stable than the others. The category "Other" is a rather unstable state, because she was as likely to return home as to go to work (in 40% of cases). The public places are most often followed by the work place (in 39% of cases).

To further exemplify our point, let's plot the state transition diagram#3507#> of the three dichotomized variables shown in the configuration chapter: familiarity of situations (BFAM), emotionality (BEMOT) and stress emotionality (BSTRE). On figures 4.16 are drawn the state transition diagrams of the most probable transitions for these three variables, and finish with the configuration made up of these three binary variables.

Figure 4.16: State transition diagrams for the MFT of dichotomous familiarity of situations, emotionality and stress variables

Regarding the dichotomous variables, we can infer that the subject tried to be in familiar situations, maintain a low emotionality and low level of stress. Indeed for the BFAM variable, the most frequent transitions are towards the BFAM=1 state, while for the two internal variables the MFTs are towards the BEMOT=0 and BSTRE=0.

When considering the MFTs for the configuration composed of these three variables, it becomes obvious that the configural state #4 (familiar situations, low emotionality and low level of stress) acts like an "attractor". All MFTs except #6 are directed towards this configural state. So whatever situations she encounters she is most likely to be found in this pivotal state.

Although certain patterns of transition emerge from the picture, Karnaugh map yield a better representation of the underlying dynamics.