Moderated Mediation and Mediated Moderation Models

Moderated mediation is a conditional processing model describing a system of relationships among variables. As the literature grows, we become increasingly focused on mechanisms (mediators) and boundary conditions (moderators) for our main effects. This has led to complexity in our model development and testing. Most simply, a moderated mediation begins with proposing that a mediation exists for only some level(s) of the moderator (e.g., high vs. low). Thus, in order to propose, analyze, and interpret a moderated mediation, the researcher must first be proficient in moderation and mediation separately.