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Caltech

Center for Social Information Sciences (CSIS) Seminar

Friday, April 21, 2023
12:00pm to 1:00pm
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Baxter 127
Behavioral Causal Inference
Ran Spiegler, Professor of Economics, Tel Aviv University and University College London,

Abstract: When inferring the causal effect of one variable on another from correlational data, a common practice by professional researchers as well as lay decision makers is to control for some set of exogenous confounding variables. Choosing an inappropriate set of control variables can lead to erroneous causal inferences. This paper presents a model of lay decision makers who use long-run observational data to learn the causal effect of their actions on a payoff-relevant outcome. Different types of decision makers use different sets of control variables. I obtain upper bounds on the equilibrium welfare loss due to wrong causal inferences, for various families of data-generating processes. The bounds depend on the structure of the type space. When types are "ordered" in a certain sense, the equilibrium condition greatly reduces the cost of wrong causal inference due to poor controls.

For more information, please contact Letty Diaz by phone at 626-395-1255 or by email at [email protected].