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An Empirical Test of the Utility of the Observations-To-Variables Ratio in Factor and Components Analysis
Open accessAbstract
Many researchers have proposed a minimum ratio of observations to variables or an absolute minimum of observations in order to obtain stable factor config urations. However, hardly any empirical studies em ploying real data are available that attest to the tena bility of these proposals. A systematic analysis of the problem was undertaken, using self-report data from two large phobic samples on the Fear Survey Sched ule-III (N = 1104) and the Fear Questionnaire ( N = 960). The data sets were randomly split into subsam ples with ratios varying from 1.3:1 to 19.8:1. Neither the observations to variables ratio nor an absolute minimum of observations had any influence on factor stability.
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Cited by
Evaluating the use of exploratory factor analysis in psychological research.
Fabrigar, L. R., Wegener, D. T., MacCallum, R. C., & Strahan, E. J. (1999) · Psychological Methods · doi:10.1037/1082-989x.4.3.272 · Cited by 9,587
Sample size in factor analysis.
MacCallum, R. C., Widaman, K. F., Zhang, S., & Hong, S. (1999) · Psychological Methods · doi:10.1037/1082-989x.4.1.84 · Cited by 5,497
Relation of sample size to the stability of component patterns.
Guadagnoli, E., & Velicer, W. F. (1988) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.103.2.265 · Cited by 2,880
The Experience of Presence: Factor Analytic Insights
Schubert, T., Friedmann, F., & Regenbrecht, H. (2001) · Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments · doi:10.1162/105474601300343603 · Cited by 2,303
Minimum Sample Size Recommendations for Conducting Factor Analyses
Mundfrom, D. J., Shaw, D. G., & Ke, T. L. (2005) · International Journal of Testing · doi:10.1207/s15327574ijt0502_4 · Cited by 1,704
Metadata
- Authors
- Arrindell, W. A., & van der Ende, J.
- Venue
- Applied Psychological Measurement
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1985-06
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 165-178
- ISSN
- 0146-6216 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-3497
- OpenAlex
- W2062532911
- Cited by
- 541
- References
- 0
- FWCI
- 5.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
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