Comparison of principal components computed with principal factor analysis on the basis of averaged and single-trial...

Averaged and single-trial event-related potentials (ERPs) were analysed using the Principal Factor Analysis (PFA) with following varimax rotation, and the results were compared. The correspondence between the matrices of factor loadings was tested by means of the Fischer-Roppert-procedure. For the application of PFA, a preceding averaging to improve the signal to noise ratio is not necessary. If the group of subjects is homogeneous enough, the analysis of the single-trial ERPs provides results sufficient to investigate the component structure of the ERP. The ERPs from all subjects can be described with one common component structure.