18.1 Types of Moderation Analyses

There are two primary approaches to analyzing moderation:

1. Spotlight Analysis

• Also known as Simple Slopes Analysis.
• Examines the effect of \(X\) on \(Y\) at specific values of \(M\) (e.g., mean, \(\pm 1\) SD, percentiles).
• Typically used for categorical or discretized moderators.

2. Floodlight Analysis

• Extends spotlight analysis to examine moderation across the entire range of \(M\).
• Based on Johnson-Neyman Intervals, identifying values of \(M\) where the effect of \(X\) on \(Y\) is statistically significant.
• Useful when the moderator is continuous and no specific cutoffs are predefined.