lecture 6 factor analysis Flashcards

Question

Data Reduction with Factor Analysis E.g., Questionnaire about child behaviour with hundreds of items

Answer 1

``` Instructions: On a scale of 1-5, compared to other children, my child… gets into fights frequently at school is defiant to adults is very impulsive has stomach aches frequently is anxious about many things appears sad much of the time ```

Answer 2

slide 32 & 33 Look at the correlations between scales, which ones are correlated with each other? How many factors does this suggest?

Answer 3

Need to label factors meaningfully Thoughts? Factors correlate .46 -> higher order overall factor

Answer 4

Factors produced from items are called 1st order factors A correlation matrix of factor scores can also be factor analysed to examine presence of 2nd order factors Can also examine for 3rd order factor (global factor- e.g., overall ‘g’ in IQ) Rare to go beyond that

Answer 5

hyperactivity<<<<

Answer 6

Neatness is rare Especially in EFA in test construction May be left with items that don’t fit on a factor or that fit on multiple Naming/interpreting factors can be hard!

Answer 7

Confirmation Factor Analysis (CFA) -Conducted after EFA with a different sample during test construction -Evidence of validity (i.e., structural or factorial validity) --Tests hypotheses about underlying structure of tests/items ----i.e., tests if specified relationships / correlations exist in data

Answer 8

Confirms structure suggested by EFA (or theory or literature) E.g., EFA asks what is the underlying structure of personality items whereas CFA asks whether a 3-, 5-, or 6-factor structure of personality fits best Model-testing function

Answer 9

Factor analysis played a powerful role in shaping 20th Century developments in understanding of the structure of intelligence Spearman – g factor (1903 +) Based on extensive study of correlations between tests of intellectual and sensory ability Proposed that intelligence consisted of two kinds of factors – general factor (g) and numerous specific factors (s1, s2, s3 etc).

Answer 10

Spearman argued examinee’s performance on any test was determined mainly by two influences (g and s) Most interested in g and sought to study it likened to ‘energy’ or ‘power’ – common in the whole brain Proposed that some tests were heavily loaded with g factor Although largely dismissed – idea of a general factor is still very much alive (dismissed?? wtf - listen to this part of lecture!)

Answer 11

g represents the portion of variance that all intelligence tests have in common and the remaining portions of the variance being accounted for either by specific components (s) , or by error components (e) of this general factor.

Answer 12

Thurstone (1931) – Primary Mental Abilities (PMA) Concluded that several factors (not a single g) could best explain empirical results Proposed approximately a dozen factors Seven frequently corroborated: Verbal comprehension, word fluency, number (mental arithmetic), space (mental rotation), associative memory (rote memory), perceptual speed, inductive reasoning Developed a test (PMAT) to assess each of these factors – however acknowledged the inter- relationships between subtests Later acknowledged underlying ‘g’ factor

Answer 13

Vernon (1950) – provided link between theories by Thurston and Spearman Proposed a hierarchical group structure that included an over-arching factor (like “g”), two grouping factors (verbal/spatial abilities), and minor factors (like Thurston’s Primary Mental Factors) and specific factors (like Spearman’s “s”)

Answer 14

Again used factor analysis to study the structure of intelligence – no single factor or group of factors – Two major factors: Fluid Intelligence: largely non-verbal and culture reduced form of mental efficiency Related to a person’s inherent capacity to learn and problem solve Used when a person needs to adapt to a new situation Crystallised Intelligence: highly culturally dependent and used for tasks that require a learned for habitual response Acquired skills and knowledge Related to formal and informal education

Answer 15

g was “reflected” in Gf and Gc Gf = fluid Gc - crystalized

Answer 16

Extended number of 2nd tier factors | But no g

Answer 17

Ranked in order of strength of association with g “Gf” – fluid intelligence “Gq” – quantitative knowledge “Gc” – crystallised intelligence “Grw” – reading and writing ability “Gsm” – short-term memory “Gv” – visual processing “Ga” – auditory processing “Glr” – long-term retrieval “Gs” – processing speed “CDS” – correct decision speed

Answer 18

``` John Carroll (1916- 2003) Carroll reviewed all of the factor analytic research since Spearman ``` Re-analysed > 460 data sets (1500 references!) Revised Cattell and Horn’s model to hierarchical 3-strata model Main difference is inclusion of g as over-arching factor

Answer 19

The first stratum is g, followed by a level constituted of eight abilities and processes (e.g., Gf, Gc, general memory and learning (Y), and processing speed (T)), followed by a stratum containing varying “level factors” and “speed factors.”

Answer 20

Kevin McGrew (1997; Schneider & McGrew, 2012) integrated Cattell-Horn’s Gf-Gc Model and Carroll’s 3-strata model to produce the CHC Theory of Intelligence The CHC Model integrates the Cattell-Horn and Carroll models, featuring ten “broad-stratum” abilities and over seventy “narrow-stratum” abilities. --Each broad-stratum ability subsumes two or more narrow-stratum abilities.

Answer 21

``` Added Stratum II Broad Factors ‘Gkn’—domain specific knowledge ‘Gps’—psychomotor speed ‘Go’—olfactory abilities ‘Gh’—tactile abilities ‘Gk’—kinaesthetic abilities ‘Gp’—psychomotor abilities ``` Clustered associated abilities - - Domain-independent general abilities - - Acquired knowledge systems - -Sensory-motor linked abilities - - 74 Stratum I Specific abilities

Answer 22

CHC model is now accepted as the most-empirically supported working taxonomy of human cognitive abilities Used to guide research into intelligence Used as the basis for test development and assessment practice Referred to as, “periodic table of human cognitive ability”