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A Computer Program to Find the Best-Fitting Orthogonal Factors for a given Hypothesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

David R. Saunders*
Affiliation:
Educational Testing Service

Abstract

A modification of the quartimax computation for factor rotation is described in which a hypothesized factor pattern is given to the machine along with the data. The machine uses the pattern to select the subset of variables to which it will attend when rotating in a given plane, in order to find an orthogonal solution which closely fits the hypothesis. The program also provides a measure of the goodness of this fit. The program can utilize pattern matrices that reflect only partial hypotheses as to the nature of the factors, as well as those that specify highly determined simple structure.

Type
Original Paper
Copyright
Copyright © 1960 The Psychometric Society

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