Cluster Analysis (Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences Series #44)

Although clustering—the classifying of objects into meaningful sets—is an important procedure, cluster analysis as a multivariate statistical procedure is poorly understood. This volume is an introduction to cluster analysis for professionals, as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students with little or no background in the subject. Reaching across disciplines, Aldenderfer and Blashfield pull together the newest information on cluster analysis—providing the reader with a pragmatic guide to its current uses, statistical techniques, validation methods, and compatible software programs.

Although clustering--the classification of objects into meaningful sets--is an important procedure in the social sciences today, cluster analysis as a multivariate statistical procedure is poorly understood by many social scientists. This volume is an introduction to cluster analysis for social scientists and students.

My research focus is the classification of psychopathology. Within this area of interest, my publications have emphasized taxonomy (theories of classification), cluster analysis, scientometrics, and how clinicians use classificatory concepts.