Analyzing Political Participation Data with a Mimic Model

Abstract

This chapter illustrates the use of multiple-indicator multiple-cause (MIMIC) models by an application to political participation. In such models, observed indicators (that is, imperfect measures) of latent variables are used to make inferences about parameters of structural equations in which the latent variables are determined by observed exogenous causes. The model received its name from J6reskog and Goldberger (1975), although it had previously been discussed by Zellner (1970), Hauser and Goldberger (1971), and Goldberger (1972) and is in fact a special case of the LISREL model developed by Joreskog (1 973). Previous discussion has centered around the single latent