The individual as moderator of variable relations – A configural approach

Moderators are variables that change the relations among other variables. Moderators are variables that are substantive just as the variables whose relations are moderated. In the present article, we propose using individuals as moderators. Specifically, we propose using Configural Frequency Analysis, that is, investigating moderators from a person-oriented perspective. The question asked is whether variable relations vary across individuals. Base models are specified for Configural Frequency Analysis that allow one to identify individuals that differ in variable relations. In a data example, it is shown that not a single individual in a sample of alcoholics shows the pattern of association between subjective stress and beer consumption that was found for the entire sample. Extensions of the configural moderator model are discussed.