Which statement contrasts orthogonal rotation with oblique rotation?

Which statement contrasts orthogonal rotation with oblique rotation?

• A. Orthogonal rotation assumes factors are uncorrelated.
• B. Oblique rotation allows correlations among factors.
• C. Orthogonal rotation yields correlated factors.
• D. Oblique rotation is used only for binary data.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is whether rotated factors are allowed to relate to each other. In exploratory factor analysis, rotation aims to simplify the factor structure. Orthogonal rotation keeps the rotated factors at right angles, so they are uncorrelated. Oblique rotation drops that constraint and lets the factors correlate. So stating that orthogonal rotation assumes factors are uncorrelated directly contrasts with oblique rotation, which permits correlations among factors. The other options either misstate a property (orthogonal rotation yielding correlated factors) or describe something true about oblique rotation that doesn’t capture the contrast as clearly, and they aren’t the best contrast to highlight the difference.

The key idea is whether rotated factors are allowed to relate to each other. In exploratory factor analysis, rotation aims to simplify the factor structure. Orthogonal rotation keeps the rotated factors at right angles, so they are uncorrelated. Oblique rotation drops that constraint and lets the factors correlate. So stating that orthogonal rotation assumes factors are uncorrelated directly contrasts with oblique rotation, which permits correlations among factors. The other options either misstate a property (orthogonal rotation yielding correlated factors) or describe something true about oblique rotation that doesn’t capture the contrast as clearly, and they aren’t the best contrast to highlight the difference.