Brief Report: Asymmetric Simplicity Criteria for Orthogonal Factor Transformation

The notion of column simplicity in a factor pattern matrix is discussed, and the varimax procedure is shown to be only one way of operatioializing this notion. A general central-moment simplicity criterion is introduced, an the special cases of this formulation that indicate asymmetry are shown t have logical appeal in a constraint-free factor transformation context. The results of implementing these criteria with data, however, suggest that., in the case of orthogonal rotation, the considerable constraints render solutions based on various special cases of the general criterion quite similar to one another.