Which of the following does not describe a factor?
A) Factor scores are continuous variables.
B) There are many factors to describe everyone.
C) A person is given a numeric score to indicate how much of a factor the person possesses.
D) A person can be described on every factor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Factors, in the context of factor analysis in psychology and statistics, are underlying variables that are inferred from patterns of correlations among observed variables. While it's true that factor scores are continuous (A), individuals receive numeric scores indicating their level of possession of a factor (C), and everyone can be described by their standing on various factors (D), saying there are "many factors to describe everyone" (B) does not accurately capture the essence of factor analysis. Factor analysis often aims to reduce the number of variables by identifying a smaller number of factors that can explain the observed correlations, rather than suggesting an expansive, indefinite number of factors for describing individuals.

Which of the Following Does Not Describe a Factor