Tingxuan Han, Luxi Zhang, Xinshu Zhao, Ke Deng
arXiv 16 Sep 2023 · Econometrics · 1 citations (OpenAlex)
arXiv:2309.08910 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text
The procedure for establishing mediation, i.e., determining that an independent variable X affects a dependent variable Y through some mediator M, has been under debate. The classic causal steps require that a "total effect" be significant, now also known as statistically acknowledged. It has been shown that the total-effect test can erroneously reject competitive mediation and is superfluous for establishing complementary mediation. Little is known about the last type, indirect-only mediation, aka "full" or "complete" mediation, in which the indirect (ab) path passes the statistical partition test while the direct-and-remainder (d) path fails. This study 1) provides proof that the total-effect test can erroneously reject indirect-only mediation, including both sub-types, assuming least square estimation (LSE) F-test or Sobel test; 2) provides a simulation to duplicate the mathematical proofs and extend the conclusion to LAD-Z test; 3) provides two real-data examples, one for each sub-type, to illustrate the mathematical conclusion; 4) in view of the mathematical findings, proposes to revisit concepts, theories, and techniques of mediation analysis and other causal dissection analyses, and showcase a more comprehensive alternative, process-and-product analysis (PAPA).
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The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.
| Reference | Intensity | Mentions | Sections | Main text | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhao, X., J. G. Lynch Jr, and Q. Chen (2010) Reconsidering baron and kenny: Myths and truths about mediation analysis self | 1.000 | 15 | 6 | 100% |
| 2 | Baron, R. M. and D. A. Kenny (1986) The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerati… | 1.000 | 12 | 5 | 100% |
| 3 | Hayes, A. F (2009) Beyond baron and kenny: Statistical mediation analysis in the new millennium | 1.000 | 6 | 5 | 100% |
| 4 | Kenny, D., D. Kashy, and N. Bolger (1998) Data analysis in social psychology (in d. gilbert, s. fiske, & g. lindzey (eds.). the handbook of social psychology (vol. 1, pp.… | 1.000 | 6 | 4 | 100% |
| 5 | Zhao, X., Q. Chen, and B. Tong (2011, august) (2011) Does c’test help, anytime?–on communication fallacy of “effect to mediate” self | 1.000 | 6 | 4 | 100% |
| 6 | Kenny, D. A (2021) Mediation | 1.000 | 6 | 3 | 100% |
| 7 | MacKinnon, D. P., J. L. Krull, and C. M. Lockwood (2000) Equivalence of the mediation, confounding and suppression effect | 1.000 | 5 | 4 | 100% |
| 8 | Rose, B. M., G. N. Holmbeck, R. M. Coakley, and E. A. Franks (2004) Mediator and moderator effects in developmental and behavioral pediatric research | 1.000 | 5 | 4 | 100% |
| 9 | Jiang, Y., X. Zhao, L. Zhu, J. S. Liu, and K. Deng (2021) Total-effect test is superfluous for establishing complementary mediation | 0.955 | 31 | 8 | 87% |
| 10 | Wen, Z., L. Chang, K. T. Hau, and H. Liu (2004) Testing and application of the mediating effects | 0.928 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
Showing the top 10 of 64 scored citations.