Approaches to Univocal Factor Scores

Two current methods of deriving common-factor scores from tests are briefly examined and rejected. One of these estimates a score from a multiple-regression equation with as many terms as there are tests in the battery. The other limits the equation to a few tests heavily saturated with the desired factor, with or without tests used to suppress the undesired factors. In the proposed methods, the single best test for each common factor is the starting point. Such a test ordinarily has a very few undesired factors to be suppressed, frequently only one. The suppression test should be univocal, or nearly so. Fortunately, there are relatively univocal tests for factors that commonly require suppression. Equations are offered by which the desired-factor test and a single suppression test can be weighted in order to achieve one or more objectives. Among the objectives are (1) maximizing the desired factor variance, (2) minimizing the undesired factor variance, (3) a compromise, in which the undesired variance is materially reduced without loss in desired variance, and (4) a change to any selected ratio of desired to undesired variance. A more generalized solution is also suggested. The methods can be extended in part to the suppression of more than one factor. Equations are derived for the suppression of two factors.