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Cited by 153Advanced Causal Inference TechniquesMeta-analysis and systematic reviewsStatistical Methods and Bayesian Inference

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 33 of the 33 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

On the Overuse and Misuse of Mediation Analysis: It May Be a Matter of Timing

Tate, Charlotte Ursula·2015·Basic and Applied Social Psychology
DOI 10.1080/01973533.2015.1062380
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Abstract

Kenny (2008) credited Hyman (1955 Hyman, H. (1955). Survey design and analysis: Principles, cases and procedures. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press. [Google Scholar]) with originally discussing mediation analysis under the name elaboration. Of importance, Hyman's elaboration required a time-ordered relationship among variables, such that the mediator must always intervene in time between the predictor and outcome. However, in the modern discussions of mediation (e.g., Baron & Kenny, 1986 Baron, R., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Preacher & Hayes, 2004 Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 36, 717–731. doi:10.3758/bf03206553[Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]), this crucial point about time-ordered relationships appears to be underemphasized. This article shows that by employing a conceptual timing criterion for all mediation analyses, the overuse of this technique can be curbed, and, simultaneously, researchers will understand when mediation analyses are appropriate across the behavioral and medical science literatures.

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  1. 10.1037//0033-2909.108.2.314 · DOI · Paper page

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Metadata

Authors
Tate, C. U.
Affiliations
San Francisco State University (US)
Corresponding author
Tate, Charlotte Ursula
Venue
Basic and Applied Social Psychology
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2015-07-04
Volume
37
Issue
4
Pages
235-246
ISSN
  • 0197-3533 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-4834
DOI
10.1080/01973533.2015.1062380
OpenAlex
W1857078712
Cited by
153
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 1
FWCI
11.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Basic and Applied Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods and Bayesian Inference
Keywords
mediation analysis, elaboration, indirect effects

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