The application of correspondence analysis to square asymmetric
tables is often unsuccessful because of the strong role played by the
diagonal entries of the matrix, obscuring the data off the diagonal. A simple
modification of the centering of the matrix, coupled with the corresponding
change in row and column masses and row and column metrics, allows the table
to be decomposed into symmetric and skew--symmetric components, which can
then be analyzed separately. The symmetric and skew--symmetric analyses can
be performed using a simple correspondence analysis program if the data are
set up in a special block format.
Other authors
Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament d'Economia i Empresa