2004/10/01 by Bear Braumoeller · 2 citations
Social Sciences · Mathematics · #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Political Conflict and Governance #Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research #Multiplicative function #Statistical hypothesis testing #Interpretation (philosophy) #Epistemology #Term (time) #Econometrics #Significance testing #Mathematical economics #Positive economics #Mathematics #Statistics #Computer science #Philosophy #Economics #Physics
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0020818304040251
openalex publication_date 2004/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
When a statistical equation incorporates a multiplicative term in an attempt to model interaction effects, the statistical significance of the lower-order coefficients is largely useless for the typical purposes of hypothesis testing. This fact remains largely unappreciated in political science, however. This brief article explains this point, provides examples, and offers some suggestions for more meaningful interpretation.I am grateful to Tim McDaniel, Anne Sartori, and Beth Simmons for comments on a previous draft.