Skip to main content
Log in

Current misuse of the factorial methods

  • Published:
Psychometrika Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Papers involving factorial methods appearing in current literature often misuse factorial methods. These meaningless results are reached because of neglect of certain conditions basic to factor theory. The conditions are:

  1. (1)

    The number of basic factors must be smaller than the number of tests.

  2. (2)

    The diagonals of the correlation matrix must be regarded as unknown.

  3. (3)

    The axes must be rotated into a simple configuration.

  4. (4)

    Each factor must be overdetermined by appearance in several tests.

  5. (5)

    Tests should have simple factorial composition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thurstone, L.L. Current misuse of the factorial methods. Psychometrika 2, 73–76 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02288060

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02288060

Keywords

Navigation