Testing a simple structure hypothesis in factor analysis

It is assumed that the investigator has set up a simple structure hypothesis in the sense that he has specified the zero loadings of the factor matrix. The maximum-likelihood method is used to estimate the factor matrix and the factor correlation matrix directly without the use of rotation methods, and the likelihood-ratio technique is used to test the simple structure hypothesis. Numerical examples are presented.The work was supported by a grant (NSF-GB 1985) from the National Science Foundation to Educational Testing Service. Reproduction in whole or in part for any purpose of the United States Government is permitted.The work was carried out when the author was Visiting Research Statistician at Educational Testing Service. The author wishes to thank Dr. Frederic M. Lord for many helpful suggestions throughout the course of this study.