Articles producció científicaPsicologia

Seven Decades of Factor Analysis: From Yela to the Present Day

  • Identification data

    Identifier:  imarina:9225570
    Authors:  Jimenez-Fonseca, Paula
    Abstract:
    Background: I review some key developments in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) model from the 1940s to the present day with Yela as the reference point. Method: The study is organized in three parts. The first part (until 1950) discusses EFA during Yela's formative years. The second part reviews the evolution of the model from Yela's return to Spain to the end of the century: the development of factor analysis (FA) as a statistical method, and the advent, and unstoppable rise, of the confirmatory model. An interlude follows in which some key problems are discussed. The third part discusses the resurgence of the model in the 21st century and the advances made in this period. I end by discussing the current situation in the field. Discussion: I discuss the validity of Yela's views regarding FA, and criticise how technical and instrumental developments have favoured, in most cases, mindless applications of the technique in which the substantive and design aspects of the research are grossly neglected. Conclusions: Although new technical developments are still needed, EFA is finally at par with any structural model. So, its time again to give importance to what is really important: the design and the substantive aspects.
  • Others:

    Link to the original source: http://www.psicothema.es/psicothema.asp?id=4683
    APA: Jimenez-Fonseca, Paula (2021). Seven Decades of Factor Analysis: From Yela to the Present Day. Psicothema, 33(3), 378-385. DOI: 10.7334/psicothema2021.24
    Paper original source: Psicothema. 33 (3): 378-385
    Article's DOI: 10.7334/psicothema2021.24
    Journal publication year: 2021
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
    Record's date: 2024-10-12
    URV's Author/s: Ferrando Piera, Pere Joan
    Department: Psicologia
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Publication Type: Journal Publications
    Author, as appears in the article.: Jimenez-Fonseca, Paula
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    Thematic Areas: Serviço social, Psychology, multidisciplinary, Psychology (miscellaneous), Psychology (all), Psychology, Psicología, Interdisciplinar, General psychology, Educação, Ciencias sociales
    Author's mail: perejoan.ferrando@urv.cat
  • Keywords:

    Spain
    Semi-confirmatory factor analysis
    Psychometric applications
    Mariano yela
    Item factor-analysis
    Humans
    Human
    Factor analysis
    statistical
    Exploratory factor-analysis
    Exploratory factor analysis
    Psychology
    Psychology (Miscellaneous)
    Multidisciplinary
    Serviço social
    Psychology (all)
    Psicología
    Interdisciplinar
    General psychology
    Educação
    Ciencias sociales
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