A researcher hypothesizes that individuals differ in support for a balanced budget amendment based upon their partisan affiliation. He controls for education level and finds that highly educated Democrats are twenty-seven points less likely to support a balanced budget amendment than highly educated Republicans, but Democrats with lower education are two points more likely to support a balanced budget than Republicans with lower education. What's going on here?
A) an additive relationship between education and partisanship
B) a spurious relationship between education and partisanship
C) a zero-order relationship between education and partisanship
D) an interaction between education and partisanship

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pattern of highly educated Democrats being less likely to support a balanced budget amendment than highly educated Republicans, but Democrats with lower education being more likely to support a balanced budget than Republicans with lower education suggests an interaction between education and partisanship. This means that the relationship between education level and support for a balanced budget amendment depends on the individual's partisan affiliation.

A Researcher Hypothesizes That Individuals Differ in Support for a Balanced