Which of the following statements accurately describes how factor analysis is used to identify personality traits?

A) Factor analysis allows researchers to create operational definitions of theoretically generated personality traits.
B) Factor analysis permits trait inferences by examining people's responses to ambiguous stimuli.
C) Factor analysis allows researchers to identify which traits go together in terms of how they are rated.
D) Factor analysis guides researchers who use projective tests.

Question

Ayden Pierson · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  Factor analysis is used to identify personality traits by allowing researchers to identify which traits tend to co-occur or correlate with each other in people's ratings or responses. This helps to reduce the large number of possible traits into a smaller number of more meaningful factors, which can then be labeled and analyzed further. Factor analysis does not involve creating operational definitions of traits, examining responses to ambiguous stimuli, or guiding researchers who use projective tests (although it may be used in combination with such techniques).

Definitions

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Related questions