Everything You Always Wanted to Know About SEM (Structural Equations Modeling) But Were Afraid to Ask

Abstract

This article is intended to serve as a primer for structural equations models for the behavioral researcher. The technique is not mysterious — it is a natural extension of factor analysis and regression. The measurement part of a structural equations model is essentially a confirmatory factor analysis, and the structural part of the model is like a regression but vastly more flexible in the types of theoretical models that may be tested. The models and notation are introduced and the syntax is provided to replicate the analyses in the paper. Part II of this article will appear in the next issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, and it covers advanced issues, including fit indices, sample size, moderators, longitudinal data, mediation, and so forth.