Rotation to Achieve Factorial Invariance

Under certain conditions it is reasonable to assume that the same factor pattern matrix will describe the regression of observed on factor scores in different populations. However, ordinary factoring procedures will not reveal in general the existence of such a factor pattern matrix. Two procedures for rotating any number of factor pattern matrices based on different populations to conform to a single “best fitting” factor pattern matrix are developed in this paper. It is assumed that the same number of factors have been determined for each population. Both procedures will yield oblique results in the various populations. The procedures are illustrated with data taken from the 1939 Holzinger-Swineford monograph. Four groups of individuals are utilized.