On Wed, 10 May 2000, HAideren wrote:
> What interpretations can be made from bipolar factors (factors
> consisting of negative as well as positive loadings on items)?
> When calculating the factor score for bipolar factors, should the
> negative sign be ignored?
Yes -- if the negative sign was ignored
in the factor analysis or principal components analysis that defined the
factors.
Since this is _seldom_ the case, the more generally
correct answer is "No". Or "No!". The negative loadings are, after
all, trying to tell you something, if only that high scores on these
items are associated with low scores on the factor (or, equivalently,
that low scores on the items are associated with high scores on the
factor). (And, of course, that at least with respect to this factor
high scores on these items are associated with low scores on the items
that loaded positively on the factor.)
-- DFB.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald F. Burrill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
348 Hyde Hall, Plymouth State College, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
MSC #29, Plymouth, NH 03264 603-535-2597
184 Nashua Road, Bedford, NH 03110 603-471-7128
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