Mediation models

Mediation models are used to understand how one variable influences another through a third variable. Imagine you’re studying how exercise affects mood. In this model, exercise is the independent variable, mood is the dependent variable, and social interaction could be the mediator. This suggests that exercise improves mood not just directly, but also by increasing social interaction. Essentially, mediation explains the process or pathway through which an effect occurs, helping us understand the underlying mechanisms that connect different factors in various fields, from psychology to health sciences.