Graphical Representation of Structural Equation Models Using Path Diagrams

Structural equation modeling (SEM) is one of the most widely used statistical techniques for delineating linear relations in multivariate data among behavioral scientists. Such complex relationships are commonly expressed in either algebraic form or graphical format. The latter representation is usually referred to as a path diagram, which is the focus of this chapter. Before we discuss how to construct a path diagram, we first introduce the primary symbols that represent the types of variables and relationships