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What is Factor Analysis?
What is Factor Analysis?
Factor is a set of variables that are highly interrelated.
Factor analysis...
is a statistical method used to describe variability among observed variables.
explains the interrelationships among a set of observed variables.
is a technique used to reduce a large number of variables into fewer numbers of factors.
Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
EFA explores the data & provides information about how many constructs are needed to represent the data.
EFA is an exploratory technique applied to a set of observed variables that seeks to find underlying factors.
The constructs are derived from statistical results, not from theory, & so the constructs can only be named/labelled after the EFA.
EFA is data driven.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
CFA is theory driven.
Prior to CFA, the researcher MUST:
Specify the number of constructs that exist within a set of items.
Specify at which construct each item will load highly on.
Assign items to construct based on theory. CFA does not assign them to construct.
Exercise
Exercise
Comparing EFA and CFA. Please download a dataset here.
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