A comparative evaluation of several prominent methods of oblique factor transformation

The oblimax, promax, maxplane, and Harris-Kaiser techniques are compared. For five data sets, of varying reliability and factorial complexity, each having a graphic oblique solution (used as criterion), solutions obtained using the four methods are evaluated on (1) hyperplane-counts, (2) agreement of obtained with graphic within-method primary factor correlations and angular separations, (3) angular separations between obtained and corresponding graphic primary axes. The methods are discussed and ranked (descending order): Harris-Kaiser, promax, oblimax, maxplane. The Harris-Kaiser procedure—independent cluster version for factorially simple data,P'P proportional to , with equamax rotations, for complex—is recommended.This paper is based upon part of the author's doctoral dissertation Hakstian, 1969] completed at the University of Colorado. The author is greatly indebted to Dr. Gene V Glass, who, as thesis advisor, generously contributed his time, erudition, and encouragement.