an approach that, like cluster analysis, identifies relationships without using an outcome (dependent) variable Grouping related characteristics instead of related people, factor analysis reveals unobserved "dimensions" that underlie a larger number of observed variables This technique can either identify a subset of variables to represent these dimensions, or derive new variables that are composites of the original variables associated with each dimension In either case, subsequent analyses (e g regression or cluster) can benefit from variable reduction
Factor analysis is a data-reduction technique intended to trim the range f variables (R-factor analysis) or people(Q-factor analysis) to their underlying dimensions or segments (factors)
A multivariate analysis technique that reduces an original set of attributes into a smaller number of underlying factors Used in AR perceptual mapping
a large family of related techniques all of which examine the correlations between a set of variables to identify those groups of variables that are relatively homogeneous
Procedure for data simplification through reducing the many rating scales (or set of variables) used by the researcher to a smaller set of factors or composite variables by identifying dimensions underlying the data
Uses many variables to produce a reduced list of other variables which contain the same information Often used as a method of data reduction, to convert 10-50 variables asking much the same thing, into 1-10 variables containing all the different dimensions which made up the original items Also useful to identify variables which are measuring potentially the same thing Confirmatory factor analysis is used to confirm that the items used can be summed to make one or more scores to explain a certain concept such as depression
a statistical technique used to (1) estimate factors or latent variables, or (2) reduce the dimensionality of a large number of variables to a fewer number of factors
A statistical procedure that seeks to explain a certain phenomenon, such as the return on a common stock, in terms of the behavior of a set of predictive factors
An analytical procedure that can be used for identifying the number and nature of constructs underlying a set of measures
A statistical method for studying the interrelations among various tests, the object of which is to discover what the tests have in common and whether these communalities can be ascribed to one or several factors that run through all or some of these tests family therapy A general term for a number of therapies that treat the family or couple, operating on the assumption that the key to family or marital distress is not necessarily in the problems of any individual family member but is rather in the interrelationships within the family fine motor skills small muscle movements such as those involved in eye-hand coordination, reaching, grasping and manipulating objects flat affect a lack of emotional responsiveness
Any of several methods of analyzing the inter-correlations or co-variances among variables by constructing hypothetical factors, which are fewer in number than the original variables It indicates how much of the variation in each original measure can be accounted for by each of the hypothetical factors
a statistical technique used to separate variables into groups which measure single dimensions of a multidimensional concept
A multivariate statistical technique which assesses the degree of variation between artifact types, and is based on a matrix of correlation coefficients which measure the relative association between any two variables
A multi-variate, data reduction technique It aims to summarise a large number of variables with a small number of factors
A technique for finding a generative model which can represent some of the statistical structure of the observations Usually refers to linear factor analysis where the generative model is linear
any of several methods for reducing correlational data to a smaller number of dimensions or factors; beginning with a correlation matrix a small number of components or factors are extracted that are regarded as the basic variable that account for the interrelations observed in the data
A statistical method for grouping large numbers of variables in order to determine those which are characterised by a common underlying factor, i e "economy" or "quality" consciousness
A statistical method used in test construction and in interpreting scores from batteries of tests The method enables the investigator to compute the minimum number of determiners (factors) required to account for the intercorrelations among the scores on the tests making up the battery