Exam 1

1. Metainformation

   Tag	Value
   file	Inferential_Statistics_vufsw-mediation-1033-en_vufsw-mediation-1033-en
   name	vufsw-mediation-1033-en
   section	inferential statistics/regression/multiple linear regression/mediation
   type	schoice
   solution	FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, TRUE
   Type	conceptual
   Program	NA
   Language	English
   Level	statistical reasoning

   Question

   Which of the following is not one of the disadvantages of Baron and Kenny’s method to assess mediation?

   
   
   1. FALSE: Baron and Kenny rely too much on the statistical significance of c and c’
   2. FALSE: Baron and Kenny suggest the testing of the significance of a and b. However, mediation is assessed by the significance of the indirect effect ab which is not the same as testing of the significance of a and b separately.
   3. FALSE: The condition that a total effect c should exist is not necessary
   4. TRUE: The condition that an indirect effect ab should exist is not necessary
   
   

   Solution

   The three disadvantages of the Baron and Kenny method are the following:

   1. Baron and Kenny rely too much on the statistical significance of c and c’. So, if c’=.5 (P=0.049) we conclude that there is mediation while if c’=.5 (P=0.051), we conclude that there is no mediation

   2. Baron and Kenny suggest the testing of the significance of a and b. However, mediation is assessed by the significance of the indirect effect ab which is not the same as testing of the significance of a and b separately.

   3. The condition that a total effect c should exist is not necessary. This is the case in suppression. 

   Therefore the option “The condition that the indirect effect ab should exist is not necessary” is the correct answer

   
   
   1. False
   2. False
   3. False
   4. True