Skip to main content
Log in

Testing for the Equality of Maximum-Likelihood Regression Coefficients Between Two Independent Equations

  • Published:
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Consider the case where one obtains maximum-likelihood estimates of regression coefficients for the respective populations from which each of two large independent samples is drawn. A question sometimes asked about the results of such an analysis is whether there is a difference between a coefficient in one population, θa, and the same coefficient in another population, θb. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of two test statistics that have been used to address this problem. Our results suggest that one statistic produces valid conclusions, while the other fails.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Agresti, A. (1996). An Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albonetti, C. (1990). Race and the probability of pleading guilty. J. Quant. Criminol. 6: 315-334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allison, P. D. (1995). The impact of random predictors on comparisons of coefficients between models: Comment on Clogg, Petkova, and Haritou. Am. J. Sociol. 100: 1294-1305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bjerregaard, B., and Smith, C. (1993). Gender differences in gang participation, delinquency, and substance use. J. Quant. Criminol. 9: 329-355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clogg, C. C., Petkova, E., and Haritou, A. (1995). Statistical methods for comparing regression coefficients between models. Am. J. Sociol. 100: 1261-1293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, A. (1983). Comparing regression coefficients across subsamples: A study of the statistical test. Sociol. Methods Res. 12: 77-94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, D. R., and Snell, E. J. (1989). Analysis of Binary Data, 2nd ed., Chapman and Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, A. W. F. (1992). Likelihood, expanded ed., Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore (first published in 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Eliason, S. R. (1993). Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Logic and Practice, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erez, E. (1989). Gender, rehabilitation, and probation decisions. Criminology 27: 307-327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J. (1991). Destiny and drift: Subcultural preferences, status attainments, and the risks and rewards of youth. Am. Sociol. Rev. 56: 567-582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J., and Albonetti, C. (1982). Race, class and the perception of criminal injustice in America. Am. J. Sociol. 88: 329-355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J., and Palloni, A. (1986). “Club fed” and the sentencing of white-collar offenders before and after Watergate. Criminology 24: 603-621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J., and Parker, P. (1985). White-collar crime and punishment: The class structure and legal sanctioning of securities violations. Am. Sociol. Rev. 50: 302-316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J., Gillis, A. R., and Simpson, J. (1985). The class structure of gender and delinquency: Toward a power-control theory of common delinquent behavior. Am. J. Sociol. 90: 1151-1178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J., Simpson, J., and Gillis, A. R. (1987). Class in the household: A power-control theory of gender and delinquency. Am. J. Sociol. 92: 788-816.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaccard, J., Turrisi, R., and Wan, C. K. (1990). Interaction Effects in Multiple Regression, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jang, S. J., and Krohn, M. D. (1995). Developmental patterns of sex differences in delinquency among African-American adolescents: A test of the sex-invariance hypothesis. J. Quant. Criminol. 11: 195-222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarjoura, G. R. (1996). The conditional effect of social class on the dropout-delinquency relationship. J. Res. Crime Delinq. 33: 232-255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, N. L., and Kotz, S. (1970). Continuous Univariate Distributions—I (Distributions in Statistics), Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, G. (1989). Unifying Political Methodology: The Likelihood Theory of Statistical Inference, Cambridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinbaum, D. G., and Kupper, L. L. (1978). Applied Regression Analysis and Other Multivariable Methods, Duxbury Press, North Scituate, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kmenta, J. (1971). Elements of Econometrics, Macmillan, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koo, H., and Hong, D.-S. (1980). Class and income inequality in Korea. Am. Sociol. Rev. 45: 610-626.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindgren, B. W. (1993). Statistical Theory, 4th ed., Chapman and Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindgren, B. W., McElrath, G. W., and Berry, D. A. (1978). Introduction to Probability and Statistics, 4th ed., Macmillan, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maddala, G. S. (1983). Limited-Dependent and Qualitative Variables in Econometrics, Cambridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. A. (1984). The organizational context of legal control. Criminology 22: 19-38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. A., and Brame, R. (1994). On the initiation and continuation of delinquency. Criminology 32: 607-629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. A., and Paternoster, R. (1987). The gender gap in theories of deviance: Issues and evidence. J. Res. Crime Delinq. 24: 140-172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. A., and Visher, C. A. (1980). Sex and involvement in deviance/crime: A quantitative review of the empirical literature. Am. Sociol. Rev. 45: 691-701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spohn, C., and Horney, J. (1993). Rape law reform and the effect of victim characteristics on case processing. J. Quant. Criminol. 9: 383-409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visher, C. A. (1983). Gender, police arrest decisions, and notions of chivalry. Criminology 21: 5-28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, E. O. (1978). Race, class, and income inequality. Am. J. Sociol. 83: 1368-1397.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, E. O. (1979). Class Structure and Income Determination, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, G. C. (1976). Linear models for evaluating conditional relationships. Am. J. Polit. Sci. 20: 349-373.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brame, R., Paternoster, R., Mazerolle, P. et al. Testing for the Equality of Maximum-Likelihood Regression Coefficients Between Two Independent Equations. Journal of Quantitative Criminology 14, 245–261 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023030312801

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023030312801

Navigation