Confirmatory Factor-Analytic Structures and the Theory Construction Process

Abstract

The confirmatory factor-analytic model of analysis is discussed in terms of the general process of constructing social theory-the generation of parameter estimates for a proposed structure, the assessment of a proposed structure, the interpretation of a proposed structure, and example applications. First-order, second-order, and structural equation confirmatory factor models are discussed in relation to Joreskog's model for the estimation of parameters in general theoretical structures, LISREL.