Theoretical and Technical Issues in Identifying a Factor of General Intelligence

Abstract

p131: There are fundamental differences between exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; the methods are actually complimentary. Thhe former is concerend with analyzing correlational data to sugest a satisfactory model for describing those data. The latter is concerned with appraising the probability that any given proposed model, even one that might seem unlikely, could generate the observed data. Exploratory factor analysis is essentially descriptivem while confirmatory factor analysis appeals to statistical significance testing. Confirmatory factor analysis cannot proceed until one proposes a model that can be tested. One source of such a model is a model produced by exploratory analysis, but this is not the only source; a model could be suggested by a psychological theory.