ScienceAugust 25, 2026
eigenvalues
EYE-gun-val-yooz
Definition
A mathematical term referring to specific scalars associated with a linear system, used here as a statistical criterion to help determine the number of distinct factors to extract in a factor analysis.
Etymology
Derived from the German word 'eigen,' meaning 'own' or 'proper,' combined with the English 'value,' signifying that these values are intrinsic or characteristic to a specific linear transformation.
In the news
The article uses eigenvalues as a statistical diagnostic tool during exploratory factor analysis to decide how many underlying factors the Research Competence Scale should contain.
Validity testing of the Research Competence Scale for special education school teachers: an empirical study from China
Read the full article ↗Frontiers