On the visualisation of the correlation matrix

Abstract

Extensions of earlier algorithms and enhanced visualization techniques for approximating a correlation matrix are presented. The visualization problems that result from using column or colum--and--row adjusted correlation matrices, which give numerically a better fit, are addressed. For visualization of a correlation matrix a weighted alternating least squares algorithm is used, with either a single scalar adjustment, or a column-only adjustment with symmetric factorization; these choices form a compromise between the numerical accuracy of the approximation and the comprehensibility of the obtained correlation biplots. Some illustrative examples are discussed.