The Journal of Politics

Table of Contents - August 1983 - Volume 45, Issue 03  

Articles

Alternative Baseline Models and Their Implications for Understanding Coalition Behavior in Congress

Herbert F. Weisberga1

a1 The Ohio State University

Abstract

While it is important to compare actual behavior against a baseline model in determining when behavior is significant, the choice of baseline model affects the decision as to what behavior is significant. An appropriate baseline model incorporates as much as possible of what we know about the behavior being studied, except for what we want to test. Employing a baseline model which takes into account the overall propensity of members of Congress to vote “yes” modifies some of Hammond and Fraser's conclusions as to the significance of particular coalitions.