Q-technique factor analysis
a type of factor analysis used to understand the major dimensions or “types” of people by identifying how they perceive different variables. Instead of describing how variables group together, as in R-technique factor analysis, this approach examines how people group together, with a correlation of people across a broad range of variables. For example, types of students could be identified based on how participants describe themselves academically (e.g., “hard working,” “procrastinating”); individual descriptors of academic behavior (e.g., “Plans projects in advance of due dates”) would have factor loadings on each of the underlying person factors. Also called inverse factor analysis; Q factor analysis; Q-technique factoring. Compare P-technique factor analysis.