In MAXEIG, the sample is also sorted along the x-axis using an input indicator, but here the sample is divided into a series of overlapping windows (25 windows with .90 overlap in the current studies, Walters and Ruscio, 2010). For each slice, the y-axis value is the eigenvalue of the first principle component from a principal component analysis of the other seven output variables, generating eight MAXEIG graphs for each study. If the construct is taxonic, the slices that are more evenly divided between taxon and complement members should have the largest eigenvalues, yielding a graph with an inverse U-shape, with the peak representing the taxon base rate. A U-shaped, flat, or irregular MAXEIG graph is indicative of a dimensional construct. Finally, all eight indicators are factor analyzed, and scores on the first principal factor are graphed in L-Mode. A taxonic L-Mode graph is bimodal, whereas a dimensional L-Mode graph is unimodal or irregular (see Ruscio et al., 2006 for additional details regarding these taxometric procedures).
