ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
When using latent class analysis the number of clusters need to be known in advance. In order to decide on this, one can use information criteria. In such a case selection procedure is as follows: estimating a few models with different number of classes, computing information criteria and choosing a model for which a criterion takes the smallest value. Because there are many information criteria one need to determine which of them ought to be decisive. Unfortunately, by virtue of the differences among these criteria, their reliability alter depending on model class. Simulations confirm it as well. Taking into account the fact that simulations mainly concern finite mixtures of normal density functions, therefore in this paper we broaden research to latent class analysis.
KEYWORDS
latent class analysis, the number of clusters, information criteria, simulations
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