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st: Centering variables in Multilevel Modeling


From   Owen Corrigan <[email protected]>
To   [email protected]
Subject   st: Centering variables in Multilevel Modeling
Date   Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:11:57 +0000

In my multilevel regression model I have 30 level-2 units (countries) and
about 20,000 cases (people), where the cases are very unevenly distributed
across level-2 units. I have predictors at both levels. I want to center my
level-2 continuous predictors, but am faced with a dilemma:

1. Do I center level-2 variables at the mean *solely* for those 30 units?
OR
2. Do I center the level-2 variables across the entire dataset of 20,000
cases, even though some level-2 units have many more cases than others, and
thus the 'mean' will be weighted here towards those larger level-2 units?

There are obviously large differences in the means arrived at depending on
approach taken.
All advice appreciated!
Owen Corrigan.
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