Question

What are the differences between MANOVA and discriminant analysis? What situations best suit each multivariate technique?

Answer 1

In a way, MANOVA and discriminant analysis are mirror images. The dependentvariables in MANOVA ( a set of metric variables) are the independent variables indiscriminant analysis. The single nonmetric dependent variable of discriminant analysisbecomes an independent variable in MANOVA. Moreover, both use the similar methodsin forming the variates and assessing statistical significance between groups.Use of one technique over the other primarily depends upon the research objective.Discriminant analysis employs a single nonmetric variable as the dependent variable.The independent metric variables are used to form variates that maximize differentlybetween groups formed by the dependent variable. The objective is to determine theindependent variables that discriminate between groups. In MANOVA, the set of metricvariables now act as dependent variables and the objective becomes finding groups ofrespondents that exhibit differences on the set of dependent variables