Exam 12: Factor Analysis, Path Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling

Explain why it is important to test both preferred and plausible alternative models when analyzing data using path analysis and structural equation modeling.

________ is generally considered to be the soundest way to decide how many factors to interpret once an exploratory factor analysis has been conducted.

People who score higher on empathy tend to score low on prejudice; women also tend to have lower prejudice scores than men. You hypothesize that empathy MEDIATES the relationship between gender and prejudice. Of the following designs, which would be the most appropriate to use to test your hypothesis?

Confirmatory factor analysis can be used to test

Confirmatory factor analysis is most likely be used to

Describe the process a researcher would use to determine how many factors underlie a set of correlations.

Describe how a researcher would use the matrix of factor loadings produced by an exploratory factor analysis.

__________ examines the correlation between a hypothesized cause at Time 1 with its hypothesized effect at time 2.

Describe how a path analysis can be used to test mediational hypotheses.

Explain how a confirmatory factor analysis can be used to assess the structural validity of a measure.

Structural equation modeling is a

The combined score for the items loading on a factor is called the research participant's

What is factor rotation? Name and define the two general categories of factor rotation. Under what conditions will those two types of rotation produce similar results?

Describe two limitations of path analysis and structural equation modeling.

In confirmatory factor analysis, the concept of goodness of fit represents

Which of the following statements about prospective research is/are TRUE?

What is goodness of fit and how is it assessed in a confirmatory factor analysis?

Which of the following statements about factor loadings in exploratory factor analysis is/are TRUE?

What is prospective research? Why would a researcher use this type of statistical analysis?

Which of the following statements about goodness of fit is TRUE?