Factor-analytic investigations of personality structure: Do data take the shape of your measure?

Abstract

Language and the Data of Personality………………………………………..…. 1 C. The Big Five Model……………………………………………………………... 3 D. Interpreting Factor Analytic Results…………………………………………….. 4 E. Assumptions of Factor Analysis……………………………………………….... 8 F. Using Computer Simulations to Test the Influence of Inter-Item Connections upon Factor Analytic Results……………………………………... II. STUDY 1: SUFFICIENCY IN THE ABSENCE OF STRUCTURE ……………………… A. Overview………………………………………………………………………... B. Method………………………………………………………………………….. 1. Construction of the matrix containing non-ignorable relationships between items within the NEO-FFI……………………………………… a. Identifying item connections within the NEO-FFI …………….. b. Evaluation of the Type, Strength, and Direction of each Relationship…………………………………………………….. 2. Applying semantic and logical connections between items to otherwise random data……………………………………………………19 B. Results…………………………………………………………………………… C. Discussion………………………………………………………………………...26 III. STUDY 2: OBSCURING AN EXISTING STRUCTURE …………...………………….... A. Overview……………………………………………………………………..…. B. Method………………………………………………………………………….. 1. Identifying James' constructs within the NEO-FFI items………………... 2. Creating a tough-and tender-minded population………………………… C. Results…………………………………………………………………………... D. Discussion………………………………………………………………………. IV. GENERAL DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………….