Example of factor analysis (simpler)

Factor analysis is a technique used to uncover underlying dimensions from a set of data by determining what variables have in common. There are two main types: exploratory and confirmatory, with the former being more introductory and the subject of the lecture. Using the 1988 men's Olympic decathlon scores as an example, the lecture illustrated how to apply exploratory factor analysis. The scores were from ten different events, including running, jumping, and throwing disciplines.

In the analysis, the running events were found to correlate strongly, suggesting a common factor related to running speed. Meanwhile, throwing events correlated with each other, indicating an "upper body strength" factor. Additionally, a distinct stamina factor emerged from the longer running events. As more factors were extracted, the analysis showed finer distinctions among events. For instance, the high jump emerged as a unique factor due to its distinct skill set. The lecture concludes by showing how factor analysis groups variables by their correlations.

[brianmcewan]

This was a helpful example showing real data, thanks!

[peasant]

do you need to normalize each column before applying fa? What if I translate scores to ranks? Does it affect the result positively or negatively

[arsenaultpeter]

Thank you, this helped me conceptualize factors