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COMPARISON OF FACTOR LOADINGS IN DIFFERENT POPULATIONS
Author(s) -
Please N. W.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
british journal of mathematical and statistical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.157
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 2044-8317
pISSN - 0007-1102
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8317.1973.tb00507.x
Subject(s) - factor analysis , estimator , statistics , covariance , mathematics , factor (programming language) , econometrics , covariance matrix , computer science , programming language
When measurements of the same variates are made on individuals sampled from different populations, factor analysis may be used to examine whether there is evidence of common underlying factors. A factor model suitable for this situation is discussed and two methods given for obtaining the estimated loadings of the common factors from the loadings obtained from separate factor analyses. The first method is appropriate when all the factors are common to all the populations; the second when some factors are specific to certain populations or groups of populations. Estimators are given of the factor mean vectors and covariance matrices in the various populations and, with the second method, indications of the populations in which each factor operates. An iterative procedure for obtaining the maximum‐likelihood estimates is explained in detail and some tests of significance are mentioned. Possible rotations of the common factors are discussed and the results of applying these methods to some numerical data are reported.