Elementary Linkage Analysis for Isolating Orthogonal and Oblique Types and Typal Relevancies

SEVERAL of the terms of the above title are analogous to key concepts in factor analysis; types correspond to factors, and typal relevancies correspond to factor loadings. These terms have similar meanings to the corresponding ones in Thurstonian factor analysis except for one fundamental difference ; the terms of elementary linkage analysis are here applied to a theory of psychological structure which is basically different from simple structure as developed by Thurstone (16, p. 181). However, data are sometimes so interrelated that the difference in theory does not express itself in empirical results; linkage analysis sometimes yields results very similar to, or even identical with, those of rotated factor-analytic solutions. Advantages of elementary linkage analysis are its provision for investigating a particular theoretical position, its speed, and its objectivity. A fifteen variable matrix can be analyzed into objectively determined types in five to ten minutes, all operations with only pencil and paper. The original solution of a linkage analysis gives the desired structure; no rotation is required.