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.