factor analysis
factor analysisA family of statistical techniques for exploring data, generally used to simplify the procedures of analysis, mainly by examining the internal structure of a set of variables in order to identify any underlying constructs. The most common version is so-called principal component factor analysis.
In survey data, it is often the case that attitudinal, cognitive, or evaluative characteristics go together. For example, respondents who are in favour of capital punishment may also be opposed to equality of opportunity for racial minorities, opposed to abortion, and may favour the outlawing of trade unions and the right to strike, so that these items are all intercorrelated. Similarly, we might expect that those who endorse these (in the British context) right-wing political values may also support right-wing economic values, such as the privatization of all state-owned utilities, reduction of...
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