#factor analysis

[the-bias-identifierrrr]

She plot my eigenvalues til i squee

[philomathresearch]

Exploring Factor Analysis in Research: Key Types and Examples

Factor analysis identifies patterns in data by reducing variables into factors. Types include EFA (exploratory) and CFA (confirmatory). For more detail visit here: https://www.philomathresearch.com/blog/2024/09/10/exploring-factor-analysis-in-research-key-types-and-examples/

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The more he studied the data, the more he came to believe that the tests – verbal, mathematical, and behavioral – measured only how well the examinee did on a particular examination. To say that the scores, taken together, indicated something called general intelligence, Brigham concluded, was to indulge in "psychophrenology", to confuse the test name – e.g., "verbal" – with the reality of the trait, and to misidentify the summed traits with intelligence.³

3. Carl Campbell Brigham, "Intelligence Tests of Immigrant Groups", Psychological Review, 37 (March 1930), pp. 158-160, 164-165; Brigham to C. B. Davenport, Dec. 8, 1929, Charles B. Davenport Papers, Carl Campbell Brigham file; Walter Lippmann, "The Mystery of the 'A' Men", New Republic, Nov. 1, 1922, p. 246; Edward L. Thorndike, "Tests of Intelligence: Reliability, Significance, Susceptibility to Special Training and Adaptation to the Nature of the Task", School and Society, 9 (Feb. 15, 1919), 189-95; Lancelot Hogben, "Heredity and Human Affairs:, in J. G. Crowther, ed., Science for a New World (Harper & Bros., 1934), pp. 44-45. In Britain, Cyril Burt thought that the psychophrenology could be avoided through the approach pioneered early in the century by the British psychologist Charles Spearman, who contended that people possessed a general intelligence, an entity that no one mental test could measure but which, in its various factors, individual tests all captured in some proportion. Spearman called the general capability g and developed a complicated mathematical procedure – factor analysis – to determine it. Though a eugenic sympathizer, Spearman had been much less concerned with demonstrating a biological basis of intelligence than with developing a mathematical instrument that would transform theories of mind into constructs as solid as theories of physics. Burt, quite in contrast, in later years built on Spearman's work – he took more credit for the advancement than he deserved – with the aim of exploiting factor analysis to demonstrate that intelligence was inherited. However, the British psychologist Godfrey Thomson, one of the major developers of the mathematical techniques of factor analysis, perceived considerable ambiguity in what mathematics revealed. To Thomson, the ambiguity did not "prove that we have no such 'factors'. But it does show that perhaps we haven't, that perhaps they are fictions – possibly very useful fictions, but still fictions." L. S. Hearnshaw, Cyril Burt, Psychologist (Cornell University Press, 1979), pp. 154-55, 129; Stephen Jay Gould, The Mismeasure of Man (W. W. Norton, 1981), pp. 151, 239, 252, 262-63, 272-73; Bernard Norton, "Charles Spearman and the Generation Factor in Intelligence: Genesis and Interpretation in the Light of Sociopersonal Considerations", Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 15 (1979), 150, 147, 148; Godfrey Thomson [autobiography], in A History of Psychology in Autobiography (Russell and Russell, 1968), IV, 283.

"In the Name of Eugenics: Genetics and the Uses of Human Heredity" - Daniel J. Kevles

[burningcheese-merchant]

I think more ppl need to see this

Yeah for real lol. That's exactly what it is with him. Not to toot my own horn too much but I believe this post I made ages ago hits the nail on the head haha

"I'm bored" is... technically true. In a sense. Personally, I think it's a very simple and vague allusion to the real problem. That thin sheet of snow coating a massive, freezing cold iceberg. Just barely obscuring it from proper view.

imo it's been a bit disappointing seeing people take to extremes with Burning Spice's character. I've seen people either woobify him, downplay or excuse his actions by saying "he's not evil! He's hurting! He's depressed! He doesn't hate people, he's lashing out because he can't internalize his pain anymore!", or just demand he be put to death immediately on sight without trial. You can like a morally repulsive character and sympathize with their issues while also acknowledging that they're repulsive and need to face justice for their crimes. Burning Spice is one of my favorite characters, I love everything about him, he's sexy as fuck, I understand why he's the way he is, I'm still happy to see his ass beat because he's a piece of shit and he deserves it lol.

Not to throw shade at "simpler" villains ofc. I love me some assholes that are assholes just because they can be. Like Jack Horner in Puss in Boots 2. But Burning Spice isn't Jack Horner and he honestly shouldn't be. The deeper, sadder, more complex reasons governing his actions suit him better than just "I'm bored fuck this shit" and nothing else ykwim

and of course, he's still wrong. Burning Spice's view of the world is wrong. Does a book begin just to end? Does a song play just to finish in a few minutes' time? No. They begin so that we may read, listen, and enjoy. So that they may make us laugh, or have us shake our heads in disappointment, or tell us some hidden truth. Make our days and lives a little more interesting than they were before. Life is beautiful BECAUSE it is fleeting. Born, grow, wither, born, grow, wither. Yes, that's how it goes. But there's so much more to those things than just what we can gather from those three words. Every day is different. Though the sun rises every morning without fail, it's never quite the same color, is it? Always a bit of a different shade of yellow, orange, red, bleeding into the sky a little differently each time. There are so many things to see and do, games to play, people to meet and love and cherish. Maybe some of those things and those people won't be here someday but that doesn't mean their existence never meant anything. We are not born to die, we are born to live. We must die for those who are to live, and live for those who have died. Regardless, we must never lose sight of the intrinsic value of all that surrounds us. Burning Spice very much did. Underneath his bitterness and anger and (not unfounded, to be fair) lamentation for the unstoppable cycle of life and death is a deep-rooted selfishness and fundamental lack of understanding and appreciation for life and other people. In the face of despair, he gave in and chose evil. He was and is wrong for doing so, regardless of why he did it. He could've stepped down. He could've just admitted he didn't have what it took to be the Herald of Change. Hell, if he really hates being alive so much, he would've committed suicide a LONG time ago. But he never did any of that; instead he chose to inflict an equal or greater suffering on everything and everyone else, even the undeserving. And for that he MUST pay. And Golden Cheese, with her personality and her experiences and the wisdom she came to attain when faced with the exact same despair as Burning Spice, is exactly the right person to make him do that

[homosexual-work-account]

There’s probably something to be said about the fact that Jayce’s signature resembles the pie (π) sign, a mathematical symbol that famously goes on infinitely; Jayce’s own legacy extending infinitely past the Man Of Progress symbol he was, even after death.

[write-the-room]

ik this is prob obvious but I'm putting it out there anyway bc I randomly got reminded of it

INDEPENDENCE & SELF SUFFICIENCY

Andrew spent all the money from Tilda's death on that car BECAUSE he didn't need the car - he wasn't gonna go pay college fees or groceries or whatever bc he didn't need Tilda to survive - he didn't need her while she was alive and he didn't need her now, he could support himself. So of course he wasn't going to use the money from her to buy essential things - he bought that ridiculously expensive car solely because he did not need it and he wanted the money gone.

Nicky jokingly mentions that the car is the reason they're poor, but Andrew wouldn't want Tilda to be the reason they're stable - they can take care of themselves. That money was never going to be used for things they needed, so he blew it on the car

[brookstolemybrand]

Not to get all anarchist about it (blatant lies) but I really think a huge part of the conflict between Luffy and Usopp in Water Seven comes down to Luffy feeling the pressure to take a position of authority over the crew, rather than just leadership

The Merry was technically Luffy's ship, since Kaya gave her to Luffy, but it's undeniable that she was a home and a crewmate to all of the crewmembers and had a particularly close bond with Usopp, and even though it was the right decision, Luffy had no right to make that call on his own. And to be fair I don't think he would have under normal circumstances. Luffy doesn't want to be some kind of a big boss to his crew, he wants to be friends, but basically everything went wrong in Water Seven and he felt like it was his responsibility to take charge, and then he fucked it up

The fact that the situation was resolved by forcing Usopp to show submission in order to be accepted back does not help the case. It always feels gross to me

This is my biggest problem with Water Seven. Luffy and Usopp both fucked up, but only Usopp has to apologise, and in fact the narrative reinforces that Luffy has to stay adamant about it even though he clearly doesn't want to and it goes against his nature. The narrative sides with Zoro, but in my opinion Zoro is just wrong

The Straw Hat crew works so well because they're so good at sharing responsibility and leadership and listening to each other and being primarily comrades. The crew regularly criticises and confronts and straight up overrules Luffy when he's being a dumbass, and he accepts that because he respects them, and because being a captain doesn't mean authority to him; it's a leadership of purpose

[glitter-stained]

It's so funny to me when I see people call Jason overly impulsive and incapable to hold back his anger issues because not only is that very untrue, but the fact that he isn't is a medical miracle. Homeboy had two severe traumatic brain injuries from direct hits to the frontal lobe in a period of his life (teenagehood and early adulthood) where the executive functions (developed in the frontal lobe) are not done developing, the classic symptomatology observed almost always in children/teenagers (and so many adults) in that case is dysexecutive syndrome which is characterized by an intolerance to frustration and impulsivity, and it happened to him twice!!! (At least, idk where the Joker hit his head so it's maybe even more) Like do you understand??! Yeah lucky him the Pit healed the first one and then it happened again!!!

I don't necessarily like RHATO #25, but it's incredibly funny to me that not only is the characterization of Jason as impulsive extremely wrong, but it is so in spite of canon events. Like if post RHATO #25 Jason suddenly became extremely impulsive and struggling majorly to control his anger, it would make sense! It would be realistic! The irony of it is wild.

[cloverandstuff]

Till and Mizi were a doomed narrative...

...and I don't mean 'oh they could never be together'. I mean that it was doomed to be failed friendship from the start because both were shit at communication.

Till always had issues talking to other people, we know this. He is specified to be a genius loner who likes to keep to himself. Most of the time, another person had to initiate the conversation for Till to talk. Even then, it was short and limited.

He was always flustered around Mizi as well, and he couldn't verbalize his feelings for her in their true form. He was eventually able to write a song that encapsulated those emotions, that was a long time after. He seems to be mostly limited when it comes to his words outside of music, which means he sucks at communicating any of his feelings.

Meanwhile, Mizi went through a traumatic event that influenced the way he viewed the unrequited love people had for her. Specifically that from men. She could never communcate these thing, except specify time and again that she was in love with Sua. However, she would never outright confront those feelings because she was scared she would get hurt by someone she thought of as a friends again.

Till and Mizi could never have been as good friends as they couldve been if they had just had better childhoods. Better experiences. Better communication skills.

But ironically enough, this same factor seems to play into how Mizi trusts Till a bit more than she would the other boys who liked her. Because she asked him outright why he liked her, right after specifying she only loved Sua. She gets an answer that seems shallow, which breaks her a bit again. But she still seemed to trust Till to give her an answer and not push her.

Maybe this could have also been because Till was meek around Mizi, and didn't see. capable of hurting her. But I do believe that Mizi cared about Till enough that she didn't fully categorise him with the other guys who liked her. He was on a blurred boundary of that circle, not truly in but neither truly out.

Till loved Mizi and Mizi was aware of this. Mizi was also under the belief that the only reason Till liked her was because she was pretty. Despite this, she still went out of her way to try and be friends with him constantly.

Maybe Mizi still had that vague fear that Till would treat her the same as the boy from the comic did. But I also thing she was aware to some extent that Till wouldn't actually do that. She had a fear that influenced her actions, her personality and even her view of people.

This is all a theory and assumption though. There doesn't seem to be any definitive proof. But I do like the idea that Ivan, Till, Mizi and Sua had a bond with each that was unique to them. And that maybe if things were different, they all couldve been actual friends who were more honest.

[bumblingbabooshka]

Forever wishing we had an episode about why Tuvok chose to go into security instead of science (especially since he started out as a science officer like Spock and T'Pol)

I don't think it has to do with violence...Like, an outlet. He isn't a violent person. I think it has to do with him liking puzzles so much...the strategy of it - the endless combinations...and perhaps just a bit the thrill of it being life and death. That pressure to make the best possible choice every time. And him growing orchids specifically to be displayed - competition and beauty... In 'Learning Curve' he says "The strongest tactical move is always the one in which you will reap the highest gain at the lowest cost." You can tell that he's really a tactician and I think because of that he'd solve problems a lot differently than Worf, or Tasha Yar. Also, there's his decision to mind meld with Suder in 'Meld' - the fact he can't leave it alone is so character-building to me. He has to know why Suder did this, it isn't enough to catch and capture him if he doesn't understand the motivation behind such a brutal action. It fits into his portrayal as a detective in 'Ex Post Facto'. Someone who'll pursue the truth diligently no matter who it implicates. There's also the fact that despite Tuvok coming off as a very cold and uncaring person in episodes like 'Learning Curve' where it's implied he might be willing to allow others to die if it'd be the best move tactically - he's shown to be very willing to protect others like in 'Innocence' where he sides with the children against the adults, going so far as giving one of them a phaser to protect herself and 'Muse' where he stays up for 10 days straight trying to find B'Elanna and Harry or even how in 'Random Thoughts' when Nimira (someone he's only met just recently) says she needs his help and he replies "Then you shall have it." Noss falls in love with him partially because of how he immediately saves her without even knowing her name AND he's with Janeway when she makes her decision to help protect the Ocampa, ultimately agreeing with her logic that it's the right thing to do. It's interesting for a Vulcan to be in Security. Sarek in TOS is against Starfleet partially because he views it as being a forceful, militaristic organization which doesn't achieve real peace. In TOS we don't see any other Vulcans in Starfleet - I'm not saying there aren't any (I think we'd hear about Spock being the first if that were the case) but Sarek's attitude might be a cultural one which I'm sure shifted over time, especially with Spock's rise in fame, but I can't help but wonder how it affected Tuvok's decision to change from Science to Security, if at all. Especially since he's shown to be a very traditional person. Does it seem a brutal occupation to a Vulcan? Vulcans have a reputation for pacifism, does it lead to him being underestimated? He had already established a family by the time he re-entered Starfleet, how did they react to him going from a professor to that? Speaking of brutality, In general there's a violence to the other security officers' pasts. Tasha lived amongst ceaseless violence at every turn for 15 years, Worf is very proudly Klingon and lives by their warrior's code, Odo was raised/working during Cardassian's violent occupation of Bajor...but Tuvok doesn't have anything remotely like that in his past, which is also interesting. You might be tempted to think a Vulcan who'd take a job like that would be accustomed or connected to violence but again, that doesn't seem to be the case with Tuvok. If anything, he's very much representative of the opposite - staunchly, unabashedly Vulcan. He nearly underwent the Kolinahr, only stopping to raise a family instead. He uses the word "Postpone" when he speaks of this, implying he hasn't ruled the Kolinahr out as a possibility in the future. It's very interesting to me!! I wish it was explored more...

[cupoteahatter]

No One:

Me: Anyone ever think about how because Tyler was tricking her, he accidentally ended up as the one person who was seeing Wednesday for who she is and not who everyone wanted her to be? Specifically not who he wanted her to be, because he didn’t even have another image of her to fall back upon? Weems saw her as trouble/her Mother, Gates underestimated her, Sheriff Galpin only saw her Father, Xavier as his childhood hero, Enid blatantly assigned her a social mask but Tyler looked her full in the face and took her as she was? From their first meeting to their last, seeing Wednesday as she is, as she comes, all her dark edges and bright ideas and meeting her as an Equal Opponent, never underestimating her, never covering her up…. Just her. Only her. (And that in turn blinds her to who he is, until she pulls his mask off by accident).

Me: Anyone else ever think about that?

[philomathresearch]

Exploring Factor Analysis in Research: Key Types and Examples

Introduction

In the realm of market research, data is the driving force behind informed decision-making. Understanding the underlying patterns in data is essential for researchers to make sense of complex datasets. Factor analysis is a powerful statistical technique used to identify underlying relationships among a large number of variables. It is particularly useful in survey research, where it helps to reduce data dimensionality, interpret latent constructs, and uncover the hidden structure of data. This blog explores the types of factor analysis, their applications in survey research, and examples relevant to primary market research.

What is Factor Analysis?

Factor analysis is a multivariate statistical method used to identify underlying factors or constructs that explain the patterns of correlations within a set of observed variables. It helps researchers condense a large set of variables into a smaller set of factors without losing significant information. These factors are not directly observable but are inferred from the observed variables.

In survey research, factor analysis is often employed to explore complex relationships among items (questions) and to validate survey instruments by ensuring they measure what they are intended to measure.

Types of Factor Analysis

Factor analysis can be broadly classified into two types: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Each type serves different purposes and is applied in different contexts based on the research objectives.

1. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used when the researcher does not have a preconceived notion about the structure or number of factors underlying a set of variables. It is a data-driven approach used primarily in the early stages of research to explore the underlying factor structure and to identify potential relationships among variables.

Purpose: To uncover the underlying structure of a relatively large set of variables.

Approach: The method involves extracting factors, rotating them to achieve a simple structure, and then interpreting them.

Key Techniques: Common methods include Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE).

2. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is used when the researcher has a specific hypothesis or theory about the structure of the factors and the relationships between observed variables and latent factors. It is a more hypothesis-driven approach compared to EFA and is often used to confirm or validate the factor structure identified in previous studies or theoretical frameworks.

Purpose: To test whether a predefined factor structure fits the observed data.

Approach: CFA requires specifying the number of factors, the relationships between factors, and the observed variables they are associated with.

Key Techniques: Model fit indices (e.g., Chi-square test, RMSEA, CFI, TLI) are used to evaluate the adequacy of the factor model.

Steps in Conducting Factor Analysis in Survey Research

The process of conducting factor analysis involves several critical steps:

Step 1: Data Collection and Preparation

Before conducting factor analysis, researchers need to collect data using surveys or questionnaires. The data should be adequately prepared by handling missing values, checking for outliers, and ensuring that the data meets the assumptions for factor analysis, such as linearity, normality, and sufficient sample size.

Step 2: Assessing the Suitability of Data for Factor Analysis

To determine whether the data is suitable for factor analysis, researchers can use several tests:

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) Test: This test measures sampling adequacy. A KMO value above 0.6 is generally considered acceptable.

Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity: This test checks whether the correlation matrix is an identity matrix. A significant result (p < 0.05) indicates that factor analysis is appropriate.

Step 3: Extracting Factors

The next step is to extract factors from the data. Several methods can be used for factor extraction:

Principal Component Analysis (PCA): A commonly used method for extracting uncorrelated factors.

Principal Axis Factoring (PAF): A method that considers only shared variance and is often used when the goal is to identify underlying constructs.

The number of factors to be retained can be determined using criteria like Eigenvalues > 1 rule, Scree Plot, and Parallel Analysis.

Step 4: Factor Rotation

To achieve a simpler and more interpretable factor structure, rotation methods are applied. Rotation does not change the underlying solution but makes it easier to interpret. The two main types of rotation are:

Orthogonal Rotation (e.g., Varimax): Assumes that factors are uncorrelated.

Oblique Rotation (e.g., Promax, Direct Oblimin): Allows for correlated factors.

Step 5: Interpreting Factors

After rotation, the next step is to interpret the factors by examining the factor loadings, which indicate the correlation of each variable with the factor. Variables with high loadings on the same factor are grouped together, and each factor is assigned a name that reflects the common theme of the variables it includes.

Step 6: Validating the Factor Structure

To ensure that the identified factor structure is reliable and valid, researchers may use techniques like cross-validation, split-half reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Applications of Factor Analysis in Market Research

Factor analysis has numerous applications in market research. Some key applications include:

1. Developing and Refining Survey Instruments

Market researchers use factor analysis to develop new survey instruments or refine existing ones by identifying redundant or irrelevant items, ensuring that the survey measures the intended constructs.

2. Customer Segmentation

Factor analysis can be used to identify underlying dimensions of customer preferences, attitudes, or behaviors. These dimensions can then be used to segment customers into distinct groups for targeted marketing efforts.

3. Product Positioning and Development

By analyzing consumer perceptions and preferences, factor analysis helps companies understand the key factors driving product choices. This information can guide product development, positioning, and messaging strategies.

4. Measuring Brand Equity

Factor analysis is widely used to assess brand equity by identifying underlying factors that influence consumer perceptions, such as brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand loyalty.

Examples of Factor Analysis in Market Research Surveys

Here are some practical examples to illustrate the application of factor analysis in market research surveys:

Example 1: Understanding Consumer Preferences for a New Beverage Product

A beverage company wants to understand the factors that influence consumer preferences for a new drink. They design a survey with 30 questions covering various attributes like taste, packaging, price, availability, health benefits, and brand reputation. Using EFA, the company identifies three main factors: Product Attributes (taste, health benefits), Marketing Effectiveness (packaging, advertising), and Brand Perception (brand reputation, trust). These insights guide the company’s product development and marketing strategies.

Example 2: Evaluating Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry

A hotel chain wants to assess customer satisfaction and service quality across its properties. They use a survey with questions related to room cleanliness, staff friendliness, amenities, and overall experience. By conducting CFA, the hotel validates a four-factor model of service quality: Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, and Empathy. This model helps the hotel chain identify areas for improvement and enhance customer satisfaction.

Challenges and Limitations of Factor Analysis

While factor analysis is a valuable tool in survey research, it has several limitations:

Subjectivity in Interpretation: The naming and interpretation of factors are subjective and can vary between researchers.

Assumptions: Factor analysis relies on assumptions such as linearity, normality, and adequate sample size. Violation of these assumptions can lead to inaccurate results.

Complexity: Factor analysis requires expertise in statistical techniques and software, which may be challenging for non-statisticians.

Overfitting: Over-extraction of factors can lead to overfitting and spurious results, which do not generalize well to other samples.

Conclusion

Factor analysis is a powerful and versatile technique in survey research that enables market researchers to uncover underlying patterns in complex datasets, develop and validate survey instruments, and gain deeper insights into consumer behavior. Understanding the different types of factor analysis, their applications, and best practices for conducting them can help researchers leverage this tool to make more informed, data-driven decisions.

By implementing factor analysis effectively, primary market research companies like Philomath Research can enhance the quality of their survey research, provide valuable insights to clients, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

FAQs

1. What is factor analysis in research? Factor analysis is a statistical technique used to identify underlying relationships among a large number of variables. It helps researchers condense a large set of variables into a smaller set of factors, uncovering the hidden structure of the data without losing significant information.

2. Why is factor analysis important in survey research? Factor analysis is crucial in survey research because it helps reduce data dimensionality, identify patterns among variables, validate survey instruments, and ensure that surveys measure the intended constructs. It simplifies complex datasets and enhances the interpretability of survey results.

3. What are the main types of factor analysis? The two main types of factor analysis are:

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA): Used when the researcher does not have a preconceived structure or number of factors. It explores the data to identify potential relationships.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): Used when the researcher has a specific hypothesis or theory about the factor structure. It tests whether the data fits a predefined model.

4. How is Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) different from Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)?

EFA is data-driven and used to explore the underlying factor structure without any predetermined model.

CFA is hypothesis-driven and used to test if a specific factor structure fits the observed data based on a predefined model.

5. What steps are involved in conducting factor analysis? The steps in conducting factor analysis include:

Data collection and preparation.

Assessing the suitability of data for factor analysis.

Extracting factors using methods like Principal Component Analysis.

Rotating factors to achieve a simpler structure.

Interpreting factors based on factor loadings.

Validating the factor structure using techniques like Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

6. How do you determine the number of factors to retain in factor analysis? The number of factors to retain can be determined using criteria like the Eigenvalues > 1 rule, Scree Plot, and Parallel Analysis. These methods help identify the number of factors that explain a significant amount of variance in the data.

7. What are factor loadings, and why are they important? Factor loadings are coefficients that represent the correlation between observed variables and the underlying factors. High factor loadings indicate that a variable strongly relates to a specific factor. They are essential for interpreting the meaning of factors.

8. What is the purpose of rotating factors in factor analysis? Factor rotation is used to achieve a simpler, more interpretable factor structure. It doesn’t change the underlying solution but makes it easier to understand by reducing the number of variables with high loadings on multiple factors. Common rotation methods include Orthogonal (Varimax) and Oblique (Promax) rotations.

9. Can factor analysis be used to validate survey instruments? Yes, factor analysis, especially Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), is widely used to validate survey instruments. It helps confirm whether the survey measures the intended constructs and assesses the reliability and validity of the survey items.

10. How is factor analysis used in customer segmentation? Factor analysis identifies underlying dimensions of customer preferences, attitudes, or behaviors. These dimensions help segment customers into distinct groups, allowing businesses to tailor their marketing strategies to target specific customer segments effectively.

[almonddirge]

Thinking about how Xie Lian was like a shadow over Mu Qing’s life even after his ascension. Mu Qing couldn’t change the fact he only ever had a chance of becoming a god because of Xie Lian noticing him. He was so certain that everyone around him hated him for being a servant, hated him for his connection to the Laughingstock of the Three Realms.

He tried to appease everyone. He distanced himself from High Highness, but couldn’t fully stay away. Even when Mu Qing chose to help those 33 officials and chased away Xie Lian, he still tried to go back and help. He was never going to explain himself, but he was going to prove himself through his actions. It… didn’t work out for him.

Something I’ve brought up before and think about a lot is our introduction to Mu Qing, where Xie Lian said they last met 5-6 centuries ago. He’s very consistent otherwise; he ascended around 800 years ago, became ridiculed about 800 years ago, last saw Feng Xin 800 years ago. But he claimed he saw Mu Qing more recently than that.

There were all sorts of other things like his death at Lang Qianqiu’s hands that Xie Lian brought up for a line or two and never elaborated on, and I think this is the same. They’re usually unpleasant moments he’d rather forget. Makes you wonder.

I do think Mu Qing fucked up a lot. The aforementioned moment with the 33 officials, leaving Xie Lian, never giving Feng Xin the benefit of the doubt and assuming the worst of him. Even when Mu Qing had good intentions, I think what ended up happening was bad. But when moments of him being genuine shine through, I can’t help but be enraptured.

Mu Qing didn’t have to return with a bag of rice to help Xie Lian and Feng Xin. No one made him show up to Xie Lian’s palace and offer high quality medicine when the latter was injured. And, of course, my favorite scene of his: opening up about his feelings when he’s prepared to sacrifice himself.

I don’t really have a lot of complex analysis of him yet, I just like taking little looks at his actions. He’s so scared of being hated that he tries to play all sides, and instead of people all living him for it, he just causes them to all get frustrated instead. It’s a loop he’s caught in. But there are moments when he steps aside, shows what he’s really feeling, and I love him so much for it.

[bethanydelleman]

Both Pride & Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing work so well as enemies to lovers because despite surface animosity, it's clear that both end couples really respect each other and for good reasons. I think you could even argue that with Beatrice, she spars with Benedick because she considers him a worthy opponent.

When Hero and Ursuala plot to make Beatrice fall in love, Hero instructs her to speak of Benedick and "praise him more than ever man did merit" and yet when Beatrice finally speaks, she doesn't disagree with their high praise, she says of Benedick:

For others say thou dost deserve, and I Believe it better than reportingly.

Benedick likewise after his eavesdropping on Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio's praise Beatrice says:

They say the lady is fair; 'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; 'tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.

Similarly in Pride & Prejudice, once the misunderstanding about Wickham is cleared away, Elizabeth is able to acknowledge to herself how much she respects and likes Darcy:

She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both: by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

Darcy also finds that he admires Elizabeth, after initially dismissing her:

But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.

All of these characters also hear and accept criticism of themselves. Both Benedick and Beatrice hear they are too proud to accept love, which they both overcome. Elizabeth learns that she judged Darcy without sufficient information and Darcy that his behaviour was not that of a gentleman. Their mutual acceptance of this criticism and their growth as people leads to their ultimate happiness.

Unfortunately, those who reproduce this trope often forget to build this foundation of respect and the acknowledgement, either personally or publically, that the characters have been wrong. Instead we get characters who mid argument begin ripping each other's clothes off. No growth, no understanding how they have been wrong, it just becomes "thin line between hatred and love" instead of "we grew towards each other".

[thewhizzyhead]

okay with the knowledge that the warriors film actually had no strong anti-cop message in it and that it focused mainly on being an action piece of gangs traversing the violence of new york, I now feel extremely validated in my thoughts of warriors (2024) being a LOT more intersectional than I first thought it would be. Rather than just riding on the coats of genderbending gimmicks and popular play-safe and shallow "woo girl power" semantics, the album deepens the context through emphasising their struggle and the choice to partake in it not just as women but as a member of marginalized misfits once united under the promise of collective resistance against the police - the 'baddest gang in the city' - and a better future for their constituents.

I dunno I just,,,perhaps I was just surprised to see something quite ballsily critical from lmm's repertoire - transferring a 70's movie loved for action and slight social commentary but ultimately catered to the macho twt filmbros, into a timeless piece that holds no bars in actually featuring intersectional struggle.