20251114 - inconsistent mediation

Author: isaactpetersen

sem.Rmd

@@ -2007,6 +2007,14 @@ lavaangui::plot_lavaan(lcmsr_fit)
 
 # Mediation {#mediation}
 
+## Overview
+
+It is important not to just consider mediation effects where there is a bivariate association between the predictor and the outcome.
+Sometimes ***inconsistent mediation*** occurs where the indirect effect has an opposite sign (i.e., positive or negative) from the direct or total effect.
+The idea is there there may be multiple mediating mechanisms, and that the predictor/cause may have both beneficial and harmful effects on the outcome, and that the mediating mechanisms can "cancel each other out" in terms of the total effect.
+For instance, the predictor may help via mechanism A, but may hurt via mechanism B.
+In this case, the total effect may be weak or small, even though there may be strong mediating effects.
+
 ## Model Syntax
 
 ```{r}