EVALUATING THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF VARIABLES.

Two distinct criteria are discussed for evaluating the relative importance of several independent variables in determining the variation in a dependent variable. The quantitative criterion is used primarily with numerical data, whereas the causal criterion often appears in theoretical arguments. Simon's method for making causal inferences from correlational data may offer potentialities for combining these criteria. The indiscriminate use of partial correlations and a single multiple regression equation can yield misleading conclusions in evaluating importance. instead, an entire set of simultaneous equations is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]