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Lecture 11 - Moderation & Mediation

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26 views

Lecture 11 - Moderation & Mediation

Uploaded by

amtullahhadia02
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Moderation &

Mediation
INSTRUCTOR: FATIMA ZAFAR
Mediation
Definition: “A mediating variable is one which
specifies how a given effect occurs between an
independent variable (IV) and a dependent variable
(DV).”
The question you wish to answer is whether the
effect of the IV on the DV is at least partially
mediated by a third variable (MV).
Mediator is a variable without which the relationship
between IV and DV does not occur at all.
Daily life Examples: Mediation
IV Mediator DV

Extraverted Personality More Socializing More Friends

Skills and abilities Performance Promotion

Exam anxiety Revision Time Exam performance

Education Better paying Job Better Lifestyle

Statistics course Ma’am Fatima Statistics Understanding


Mediation
Mediation analysis tests a hypothetical causal chain where one variable X affects a second
variable M and, in turn, that variable affects a third variable Y.
Mediators describe the how or why of a (typically well-established) relationship between two
other variables and are sometimes called intermediary variables since they often describe the
process through which an effect occurs.
This is also sometimes called an indirect effect.
For instance, people with higher incomes tend to live longer but this effect is explained by the
mediating influence of having access to better health care.
Mediation Analysis
Mediation tests whether the effects of X (the independent
variable) on Y (the dependent variable) operate through a third
variable, M (the mediator).
In this way, mediators explain the causal relationship between
two variables or “how” the relationship works, making it a very
popular method in psychological research.
The process evaluate indirect effect of IV on DV through a third
variable
Mediation Analysis
M
Mediator
a b

X Y
IV DV
C’

In the above model, the direct relationship between IV and


DV is mediated by a mediator.
a and b are indirect effects whereas c’ is direct effect of X
on Y after controlling M.
Moderation
A moderating variable affects the relationship of the IV on the DV. Moderating variables tend to
be stable (e.g., personality, demographic variables)

The moderator interacts with the IV to predict outcome scores. Thus, certain levels of a
moderator under certain conditions of the IV might predict different levels of the DV.

Mediation deals with main effects, moderation examines whether there is a significant
interaction in addition to the main effects.
Daily life Examples: Moderation
IV Moderator DV
Travel Destination Temperature Holiday Satisfaction

Mode of transport Time of day Travel Time

Performance Reinforcement Satisfaction

Study Hours IQ Exam Score

Teacher Mood Lecture Quality


Moderation
Moderation analysis also allows you to test for the influence of a third variable, Z, on the
relationship between variables X and Y.
Rather than testing a causal link between these other variables, moderation tests for when or
under what conditions an effect occurs.
Moderators can strengthen, weaken, or reverse the nature of a relationship.
For example, academic self-efficacy (confidence in own’s ability to do well in school) moderates
the relationship between task performance and the amount of test anxiety a student feels
Moderation Analysis
Moderation tests whether a variable (Z) affects the direction and/or strength of the relation
between an IV (X) and a DV (Y). In other words, moderation tests for interactions that affect
WHEN relationships between variables occur.
Moderation Analysis
X Y
Stress Depression

Moderator
Z
Gender

In this example, the effect of IV on DV is moderated by Z.


The interaction between IV and Moderator gives you an
understanding of whether this variable is moderating the path
between IV and DV.
Mod-Graph
A Mod-graph is visualization of the effects of moderator on the path
between IV and DV.
Mod Graph shows us that whether different levels or different categories of
the moderator are influencing the relationship between IV and DV.
Moderation by Gender
14
Gender
12 f emales
Depression

males
10

6
low med high
Interpretation

What the significant interaction term tells us is that the


association between anxiety and depression is
significantly different between the two groups.
What the graph depicts is that female adolescents yielded
a significant positive correlation but the male adolescent
slope was not as steep.
Similarities and differences
Similarities:
They both involve three variables;
You can use regression to compute both;
You wish to see how a third variable affects a basic relationship (IV to DV).

Differences:
You create a product term in moderation; not in mediation;
Moderation can be used on concurrent or longitudinal data, but mediation is
best used on longitudinal data.
Graphing is critical for moderation; helpful for mediation.
How do you know if you have a
moderator or a mediator?
Mediator Moderator
◦ What mediates ◦ What moderates the
◦ What stands between two relationship between
variables IV and DV
◦ What is the bridge that must ◦ What conditions make
be crossed to get from IV to the relationship
DV stronger or weaker
◦ What is the processes by between IV and DV
which IV influences DV
◦ Tells you “when”
◦ Tells you “how and why”
◦ Gives you interaction
◦ Gives you Indirect effect
Confusions in Concept
1. Similarity: Moderation and mediation sound alike.

2. Clarity: Reports of moderation and mediation in the research literature are


not always clear or accurately performed.

3. Both are special cases of two separate broad statistical approaches:


mediation is a special case of semi-partial correlations (path modelling)
and moderation is a special case of statistical interactions (from ANOVA).

4. It’s not entirely clear what distinguishes a moderating variable from a


mediating variable.

5. Problem: there are no easily used statistics programmes that compute


mediation and moderation.

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