Comparing Regression Coefficients Across Subsamples

Cohen, A.; Cohen, A

doi:10.1177/0049124183012001003

Home

>

Section

>

Chapter

Comparing Regression Coefficients Across Subsamples

Cohen, A.

Sociological Methods-Research 12(1): 77-94

1983

ISSN/ISBN: 0049-1241

DOI: 10.1177/0049124183012001003
Accession: 082533405

Full-Text Article emailed within 0-6 h

Payments are secure & encrypted

Summary

The comparison of regression coefficients across subsamples is relevant to many studies. Often, the same regression model is fitted to several subsamples and the question arises whether the effect of some of the explanatory variables, as expressed by the linear model, is the same for all subsamples. Because there are sometimes misunderstandings as to the statistical procedure which ought to be applied and consequently, wrong formulae are sometimes adopted by researchers. The purpose of this article is to describe in detail the relevant statistical procedures, together with the assumptions underlying the statistical tests. Some examples are quoted, in which wrong formulae were applied. It is demonstrated how the adoption of the wrong formulae might lead to mistaken conclusions.