CANDECOMP

## An algorithm to solve the INDSCAL problem.

In the analysis of the INDSCAL three-way data matrix (numberOfPoints × numberOfDimensions × numberOfSources) we seek to minimize the function:

f(X, W1,..., WnumberOfSources) = ∑i=1..numberOfSources | Si – XWiX′ |2

where Si is a known symmetric numberOfPoints × numberOfPoints matrix with scalar products of distances for source i, X is the unknown configuration numberOfPoints × numberOfDimensions matrix, X′ its transpose, and, Wi is the diagonal numberOfDimensions × numberOfDimensions weight matrix for source i. The function above has no analytical solution for X and the Wi. It can be solved, however, by an iterative procedure which Carroll & Chang have christened CANDECOMP (CANonical DECOMPosition). This method minimizes, instead of the function given above, the following function:

  g(X, Y, W1,..., WnumberOfSources) = ∑i=1..numberOfSources | Si – XWiY′ |2

where X and Y are both numberOfPoints × numberOfDimensions configuration matrices.

The algorithm proceeds as follows:

1. Initialize the `W` matrices and the configuration matrix X. This can for example be done according to a procedure given in Young, Takane & Lewyckyj (1978).

2. An alternating least squares minimization process is started as described that sequentially updates Y, X an W (Carroll & Chang (1970)):

  2.1. Solve for a new Y given X and the Wi
  2.2. Solve for a new X given the Wi and the new Y.
  2.3. Solve for the Wi given the new X and Y.

Evaluate the goodness-of-fit criterion and either repeat the minimization sequence (2.1–2.3) or continue.

3. Done: make Y equal to X and solve a last time for the Wi.

Note: during the minimization the following constraints are effective:

  The configuration should be centered.
  The sum of squared coordinates in the configuration space is one for each dimension, i.e., the configuration always has unit variance in each dimension.

### Links to this page

- INDSCAL analysis