ERIC Number: EJ772398
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 22
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1070-5511
EISSN: N/A
On the Likelihood Ratio Test for the Number of Factors in Exploratory Factor Analysis
Hayashi, Kentaro; Bentler, Peter M.; Yuan, Ke-Hai
Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, v14 n3 p505-526 2007
In the exploratory factor analysis, when the number of factors exceeds the true number of factors, the likelihood ratio test statistic no longer follows the chi-square distribution due to a problem of rank deficiency and nonidentifiability of model parameters. As a result, decisions regarding the number of factors may be incorrect. Several researchers have pointed out this phenomenon, but it is not well known among applied researchers who use exploratory factor analysis. We demonstrate that overfactoring is one cause for the well-known fact that the likelihood ratio test tends to find too many factors.
Descriptors: Researchers, Factor Analysis, Factor Structure, Structural Equation Models, Statistical Analysis
Lawrence Erlbaum. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/default.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Researchers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A