Exploratory Graph Analysis in context

Abstract

The current paper presents the network psychometric framework for dimensionality and item analysis termed exploratory graph analysis (EGA). It starts by briefly contextualizing the field of network psychometrics and the early work from the 50’s and 60’s. Then it provides a brief overview of exploratory graph analysis and other recent developments, such as the network loadings (a metric akin to factor loadings), total entropy fit index (verification of dimensionality fit), dynamic EGA, bootstrap EGA for dimensionality and item stability, random intercepts EGA (handling wording effects), and hierarchical EGA to estimate high-order structures (e.g., generalized bifactor models). The goal of the paper is to present the reader with a list of contextualized references.