An empirical sampling distribution of the statistic average trace (E'E) for various orders of A matrices was developed through a Monte Carlo approach. A method is presented which can be used as a guideline in determining whether factor structures obtained from two data sets are congruent. (Author/DEP)

A method is presented that eliminates some interpretational limitations arising from assumptions implicit in the use of arbitrary rules of thumb to interpret exploratory factor analytic results. The bootstrap method is presented as a way of approximating sampling distributions of estimated factor loadings. Simulated datasets illustrate the…

Use of parallel analysis (PA), a selection rule for the number-of-factors problem, is investigated from the viewpoint of permutation assessment through a Monte Carlo simulation. Results reveal advantages and limitations of PA. Tables of sample eigenvalues are included. (SLD)