A Practical Guide to Using Path Analysis: Mediation and Moderation in Accounting Research
用通俗语言、图表和简单数学解释如何用路径分析检验中介和调节效应，提供PROCESS和结构方程模型工具，适合会计研究者构建和检验复杂理论模型。
ABSTRACT We use plain English, figures, and simple math to explain how to use path analysis to test for mediation and moderation. Many theories in accounting research can be conceptualized as mediated, moderated, or moderated mediation models to investigate both simple and complex hypothesized relationships. Analyses using these models capture the dependent nature of an entire set of relationships rather than attempting to make piecemeal inferences from a series of individual regressions that may not be as revealing and may even yield misleading inferences. We introduce tools that help build theory, reduce the number of inferential tests that are relied on, and use bootstrapping for inferential tests of moderated mediation that do not rely on distributional assumptions. We provide two examples from published research to illustrate and apply these concepts. Tools for analysis include PROCESS (Hayes 2020) and structural equation modeling (SEM). JEL Classifications: C12; C18; C87; C90; M41; M42; M49.