Integrating Recursive and Non-Recursive Models in Experimental Mediation Analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21641950 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sang-June Park (0000-0002-8905-3066, Jeonbuk National University), Y Yi (0000-0001-5536-6083, Seoul National University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 426-441 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1070-5511 • E-ISSN: 1532-8007 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10705511.2025.2604033 |
| OpenAlex | W7125679099 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
Experimental mediation analysis within experimental or quasi-experimental designs enhances internal validity by ensuring that treatment assignment is exogenous through randomization. Yet even in such designs, the possibility of reverse causation cannot be fully ruled out. Existing causal mediation frameworks typically impose a unidirectional causal structure, leaving the directionality between mediator and outcome unresolved. This paper integrates recursive and non-recursive modeling approaches to show that, in the absence of confounding, recursive models can parsimoniously represent reciprocal processes at their steady state. We further introduce an instrument-free method for estimating reciprocal effects at equilibrium and propose a unified framework linking causal mediation analysis with reciprocal modeling traditions. Together, these contributions provide a clearer conceptual and methodological foundation for interpreting mediation mechanisms under ambiguous causal ordering, illuminating dynamic mutual influence in processes such as attitudes, affect, and self-regulation
Mediation · Behavioral and Psychological Studies · Conflict Management and Negotiation · Team Dynamics and Performance
Causality
Mediation Analysis with Multiple Mediators
Self-perception
The Causal Mediation Formula—A Guide to the Assessment of Pathways and Mechanisms
Reversing Arrows in Mediation Models Does Not Distinguish Plausible Models
Applications of Structural Equation Modeling in Psychological Research
Mediation analysis allowing for exposure–mediator interactions and causal interpretation
The Failings of Conventional Mediation Analysis and a Design-Based Alternative
A Treatise of Human Nature
From Intentions to Actions
A general approach to causal mediation analysis.
Self-Perception Theory
The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Adjusting for Baseline Measurements of the Mediators and Outcome as a First Step Toward Eliminating Confounding Biases in Mediation Analysis
Why You Should Not Estimate Mediated Effects Using the Difference-in-Coefficients Method When the Outcome is Binary
What mediation analysis can (not) do
Meaningful Mediation Analysis
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |