Factor Analysis

Factor analysis is a statistical method used to identify underlying latent factors that explain correlations among observed variables. Current research focuses on improving the interpretability and stability of factor analysis results, particularly when dealing with incomplete data or high dimensionality, employing techniques like non-negative matrix factorization and hierarchical Bayesian information criteria for model selection. These advancements are impacting diverse fields, from predicting maritime incidents and student dropout rates to understanding psychopathology and analyzing multilingual survey data, by providing more robust and insightful interpretations of complex datasets.