Constrained canonical correlation

This paper explores some of the problems associated with traditional canonical correlation. A response surface methodology is developed to examine the stability of the derived linear functions, where one wishes to investigate how much the coefficients can change and still be in an e{open}-neighborhood of the globally optimum canonical correlation value. In addition, a discrete (or constrained) canonical correlation method is formulated where the derived coefficients of these linear functions are constrained to be in some small set, e.g., {1, 0, -1}, to aid in the interpretation of the results. An example concerning the psychographic responses of Wharton MBA students of the University of Pennsylvania regarding driving preferences and life-style considerations is provided.