ABSTRACT

Multivariate data analysis techniques denominated factor techniques are designed to create representations from simultaneous information on a set of variables in a condensed and synthesized way, optimizing certain aspects in such representations. The objectives that can be covered with these techniques are varied, including identifying similarities and differences among units of analysis, understanding the differences among the represented groups of subjects, analyzing the causes that produce associations among the responses or measurements, studying the structure of the relationship among groups of variables or measurements, identifying subgroups of units or variables due to its similarities, deriving objective rules of classifi cation that would allow us to assign subjects to classes or populations known in advance, etc.