Moderation is to _____ as mediation is to _____.

Moderation refers to the influence of a third variable on the strength or direction of a relationship between two other variables. It involves understanding how the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable changes across levels of another variable, known as the moderator. This concept captures interactions between variables, highlighting that the effect is not consistent for all individuals or contexts.

In contrast, mediation involves a causal pathway where an independent variable influences a dependent variable through one or more intervening variables, known as mediators. Here, the interest lies in unpacking the underlying relationship that suggests that one variable impacts another via a third variable, rather than merely identifying interaction effects.

By linking moderation specifically to interactions and mediation to relationships between variables, the answer highlights this distinction in how these concepts are employed in research to investigate variable dynamics. Understanding this relationship is crucial for correctly applying statistical methods to analyze data where both moderation and mediation might be present.