The investigation of change in factor structure over time can provide new opportunities for the development of theory in psychology. The method proposed to investigate change in intraindividual factor structure over time is an extension of P-technique factor analysis, in which the P-technique factor model is fit within relatively small windows of…

An alternative formulation of the multigroup common factor model with minimal uniqueness constraints is considered. This alternative formulation is based on a simple identification constraint that is related to the standard maximum likelihood constraint used in single-group common factor analysis. It is argued that the alternative formulation…

A plausible factorial structure for many types of psychological and educational tests exhibits a general factor and one or more group or method factors. This structure can be represented by a bifactor model. The bifactor structure results from the constraint that each item has a nonzero loading on the primary dimension and, at most, one of the…

Demonstrated that the extra-factor phenomenon (the two-dimensional solution produced when linear factor analysis is applied to a set of unfoldable items) arises because the metric unidimensional unfolding model is equivalent to the unidimensional quadratic factor model and the unidimensional quadratic factor model is not distinguishable from the…

The identification of two factors when one factor is expected is an artifact caused by using factor analysis on data that would be more appropriately analyzed with a unidimensional unfolding model. A numerical illustration is given, and ways to determine whether data conform to the unidimensional unfolding model are reviewed. (SLD)

The extent to which a scale score generalizes to a latent variable common to all of the scale's indicators is indexed by the scale's general factor saturation. Seven techniques for estimating this parameter--omega[hierarchical] (omega[subscript h])--are compared in a series of simulated data sets. Primary comparisons were based on 160 artificial…

The reliability of the four-factor model of the survey of study habits and attitudes (SSHA) was investigated. The reliabilities of the scales were marginal as measured by coefficient alpha. The hierarchical model of the SSHA was not supported by confirmatory factor analysis. (Author/BW)

Structure and construct validity of the California Preschool Social Competency Scale was investigated. Five factors were interpreted: considerateness; extraversion; task orientation; verbal facility; and response to the unfamiliar. The first three were found to be similar to the three dimensions of the Classroom Behavior Inventory. (Author/BW)

Evidence is presented for the existence of two types of factors when semantic differential data are factor analyzed by treating each concept-scale combination as a variable: (1) factors defined by scales within given concepts; and (2) factors defined by scales across concepts. (Author/MH)