Tabachnick - Mediation in Causal Sequence

Question 1

Mediation - What is the relationship between the IV and DV called?

Answer 1

Total Effect

Question 2

Mediation - What is the reltionship between the IV and the DV after ‘controlling for’ the mediator?

Answer 2

The indirect effect

Question 3

What is the Total Effect

Answer 3

The relationship between the IV and DV

Question 4

What is the Indirect Effect

Answer 4

The relationship between the IV and DV after ‘controlling for the mediator’

Question 5

What are Baron and Kenny’s (1986) 4 requirements are there for a variable to be a mediator?

Answer 5

1. There is a significant relationship between the IV and DV
2. There is a significant relationship between the IV and mediator
   * 3. The mediator still predicts the DV after controlling for the IV
3. The relationship between the IV and DV is reduced when the mediator is in the equation

Question 6

What is perfect mediation?

Answer 6

When the relationship between the IV and DV is reduced to zero when the mediator is in the equation

Question 7

What is partial mediation

Answer 7

When the relationship between the IV and DV is diminished, but not to zero when the mediator is in the equation

Question 8

Can mediators work in parallel instead of sequence?

Answer 8

Yes, a causal sequence does not always need to be hypothesised

Question 9

Is Sobel (1982) method of testing for the significance of mediators less or more susceptible to family-wise alpha errors?

Answer 9

No, it only requires one signfiance test, as compared to several for Baron and Kenny’s 4 factor model

Question 10

Sobel’s model tests…

Answer 10

the difference between the total effect and the direct effect