Basic Factor Analysis

• • A mathematical procedure for reducing a large number of variables to a few; used by Eysenck and others to identify personality traits and factors.

  Factor Analysis
• • A mathematical index used to measure the direction and magnitude of the relationship between two variables.

  Correlation Coefficient
• Results of these calculations (Correlation Coefficient) would require a table of intercorrelations, or a matrix, with 1,000 rows and 1,000 columns.
• • A unit of personality derived through factor analysis. However, the term is sometimes used more generally to include any underlying aspect of personality.

  Factors
• • The amount of correlation that a score contributes to a given factor.

  Factor Loadings
• Traits generated through factor analysis may be either unipolar or bipolar.
• • Traits with only one pole: that is, those traits scaled from zero to some large amount, as opposed to bipolar traits that are scaled from a minus point, through zero, to a positive point.

  Unipolar Traits
• • Traits with two poles: that is, those traits scaled from a minus point to a positive point, with zero representing the midpoint.

  Bipolar Traits
• • A method of rotating the axes in factor analysis that assumes the independence of primary factors.

  Orthogonal Rotation
• • A method of rotating the axes in factor analysis that assumes some intercorrelation among primary factors.
  • advocated by Cattell and assumes some positive or negative correlation and refers to an angle of less than or more than 90°.

  Oblique Method
• • as scores on the x variable increase, scores on the y axis also have a tendency to increase.

  Positively Correlated
• • (r = 1.00) would result in x and y occupying the same line.

  Perfect Correlation