Factor Analysis with Qualitative Factors as Fuzzy Numbers

摘要

The classical crisp version of Factor Analysis is seldom used in the case of qualitative factors by reason of the lack of appropriate level criteria referring to these factors. We now propose a fuzzy interpretation of the method, which gives a possibility to investigate the strength of the factor influence on a tested variable. By assuming that fuzzy numbers in L-R form represent both the variable and the factors, as the qualitative parameters, we are capable of performing all the operations that follow the Factor Analysis algorithm. Even the introduction of the conception proposing a new fuzzy space with particularly defined operations on fuzzy numbers helps to obtain satisfactory results.