Cover: Identification for Prediction and Decision, from Harvard University PressCover: Identification for Prediction and Decision in HARDCOVER

Identification for Prediction and Decision

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HARDCOVER

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$86.00 • £74.95 • €78.95

ISBN 9780674026537

Publication Date: 01/31/2008

Short

368 pages

6-1/8 x 9-1/4 inches

2 line illustrations, 7 tables

World

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  • Preface
  • Introduction
    • The Reflection Problem
    • The Law of Decreasing Credibility
    • Identification and Statistical Inference
    • Prediction and Decisions
    • Coping with Ambiguity
    • Organization of the Book
    • The Developing Literature on Partial Identification
  • I. Prediction with Incomplete Data
    • 1. Conditional Prediction
      • 1.1. Predicting Criminality
      • 1.2. Probabilistic Prediction
        • Conditional Distributions
        • Best Predictors
        • Specifying a Loss Function
      • 1.3. Estimation of Best Predictors from Random Samples
        • Covariates with Positive Probability
        • Covariates with Zero Probability but on the Support
        • Covariates off the Support
      • 1.4. Extrapolation
        • Invariance Assumptions and Shape Restrictions
        • Testing and Using Theories
      • 1.5. Predicting High School Graduation
      • Complement 1A. Best Predictors under Square and Absolute Loss
        • Square Loss
        • Absolute Loss
      • Complement 1B. Nonparametric Regression Analysis
        • Consistency of the Local-Average Estimate
        • Choosing an Estimate
      • Complement 1C. Word Problems
    • 2. Missing Outcomes
      • 2.1. Anatomy of the Problem
        • Identification of Event Probabilities
        • Identification of Quantiles
      • 2.2. Bounding the Probability of Exiting Homelessness
        • Is the Cup Part Empty or Part Full?
      • 2.3. Means of Functions of the Outcome
        • Bounded Random Variables
        • Unbounded Random Variables
      • 2.4. Parameters That Respect Stochastic Dominance
      • 2.5. Distributional Assumptions
        • Missingness at Random
        • Refutable and Non-refutable Assumptions
        • Refutability and Credibility
      • 2.6. Wage Regressions and the Reservation-Wage Model of Labor Supply
        • Homogeneous Reservation Wages
        • Other Cases of Missingness by Choice
      • 2.7. Statistical Inference
        • Sample Analogs of Identification Regions
        • Confidence Sets
        • Testing Refutable Assumptions
      • Complement 2A. Interval Measurement of Outcomes
        • Measurement Devices with Bounded Range
      • Complement 2B. Jointly Missing Outcomes and Covariates
        • Conditioning on a Subset of the Outcomes
        • Illustration: Bounding the Probability of Employment and the Unemployment Rate
      • Complement 2C. Convergence of Sets to Sets
    • 3. Instrumental Variables
      • 3.1. Distributional Assumptions and Credible Inference
        • Assumptions using Instrumental Variables
      • 3.2. Missingness at Random
        • Conditioning Is Not Controlling
      • 3.3. Statistical Independence
        • Binary Outcomes
        • Identifying Power
        • Combining Multiple Surveys
      • 3.4. Equality of Means

        • Means Missing at Random
        • Mean Independence
      • 3.5. Inequality of Means
        • Means Missing Monotonically
        • Monotone Regressions
      • Complement 3A. Imputations and Nonresponse Weights
        • Imputations
        • Nonresponse Weights
      • Complement 3B. Conditioning on the Propensity Score
      • Complement 3C. Word Problems
    • 4. Parametric Prediction
      • 4.1. The Normal-Linear Model of Market and Reservation Wages
      • 4.2. Selection Models
        • A Semiparametric Model
      • 4.3. Parametric Models for Best Predictors
        • Identification of the Parameters and the Best Predictor
        • Linear-Index Models
        • Statistical Inference
      • Complement 4A. Minimum-Distance Estimation of Partially Identified Models
    • 5. Decomposition of Mixtures
      • 5.1. The Inferential Problem and Some Manifestations
        • The Problem in Abstraction
        • Ecological Inference
        • Contaminated Sampling
        • The Task Ahead
      • 5.2. Binary Mixing Covariates
        • Inference on One Component Distribution
        • Event Probabilities
        • Parameters That Respect Stochastic Dominance
      • 5.3. Contamination through Imputation
        • Income Distribution in the United States
        • Corrupted Sampling
      • 5.4. Instrumental Variables
        • The Identification Region
      • Complement 5A. Sharp Bounds on Parameters That Respect Stochastic Dominance
    • 6. Response-Based Sampling
      • 6.1. The Odds Ratio and Public Health
        • Relative and Attributable Risk
        • The Rare-Disease Assumption
      • 6.2. Bounds on Relative and Attributable Risk
        • Relative Risk
        • Attributable Risk
      • 6.3. Information on Marginal Distributions
      • 6.4. Sampling from One Response Stratum
        • Using Administrative Records to Infer AFDC Transition Rates
      • 6.5. General Binary Stratifications
        • Sampling from Both Strata
        • Sampling from One Stratum
  • II. Analysis of Treatment Response
    • 7. The Selection Problem
      • 7.1. Anatomy of the Problem
        • Prediction using the Empirical Evidence Alone
        • Comparing Treatments
        • Average Treatment Effects
        • Distributional Assumptions
      • 7.2. Sentencing and Recidivism
      • 7.3. Randomized Experiments
        • Experiments in Practice
      • 7.4. Compliance with Treatment Assignment
        • Experiments without Crossover
        • Experiments with Crossover
        • Point Identification with Partial Compliance
        • Intention to Treat
        • The Effect of Treatment on Compliers
      • 7.5. Treatment by Choice
        • Outcome Optimization
        • Parametric Selection Models
      • 7.6. Treatment at Random in Non-Experimental Settings
        • Association and Causation
        • Sensitivity Analysis
      • 7.7. Homogeneous Linear Response
        • “The” Instrumental Variables Estimator
        • Mean Independence and Overidentification
      • Complement 7A. Perspectives on Treatment Comparison
        • Differences in Outcome Distributions or Distributions of Outcome Differences
        • The Population To Be Treated or the Subpopulation of the Treated
      • Complement 7B. Word Problems
    • 8. Linear Simultaneous Equations
      • 8.1. Simultaneity in Competitive Markets
        • “The” Identification Problem in Econometrics
        • Simultaneity Is Selection
      • 8.2. The Linear Market Model
        • Credibility of the Assumptions
        • Analysis of the Reduced Form
      • 8.3. Equilibrium in Games
        • Ehrlich, the Supreme Court, and the National Research Council
      • 8.4. The Reflection Problem
        • Endogenous, Contextual, and Correlated Effects
        • The Linear-in-Means Model
        • Identification of the Parameters
        • Inferring the Composition of Reference Groups
    • 9. Monotone Treatment Response
      • 9.1. Shape Restrictions
        • Downward-Sloping Demand
        • Production Analysis
      • 9.2. Bounds on Parameters That Respect Stochastic Dominance
        • The General Result
        • Means of Increasing Functions of the Outcome
        • Upper Tail Probabilities
      • 9.3. Bounds on Treatment Effects
        • Average Treatment Effects
      • 9.4. Monotone Response and Selection
        • Interpreting the Statement “Wage Increases with Schooling”
        • Bounds on Mean Outcomes and Average Treatment Effects
      • 9.5. Bounding the Returns to Schooling
        • Data
        • Statistical Considerations
        • Findings
    • 10. The Mixing Problem
      • 10.1. Extrapolation from Experiments to Rules with Treatment Variation
        • From Marginals to Mixtures
      • 10.2. Extrapolation from the Perry Preschool Experiment
        • Prediction with the Experimental Evidence Alone
        • Prediction with Assumptions
      • 10.3. Identification of Event Probabilities with the Experimental Evidence Alone
      • 10.4. Treatment Response Assumptions
        • Statistically Independent Outcomes
        • Monotone Treatment Response
      • 10.5. Treatment Rule Assumptions
        • Treatment at Random
        • Outcome Optimization
        • Known Treatment Shares
      • 10.6. Combining Assumptions
    • 11. Planning under Ambiguity
      • 11.1. Studying Treatment Response to Inform Treatment Choice
        • Partial Identification and Ambiguity
      • 11.2. Criteria for Choice under Ambiguity
        • Dominance
        • Bayes Rules
        • The Maximin Criterion
        • The Minimax-Regret Criterion
      • 11.3. Treatment using Data from an Experiment with Partial Compliance
        • The Illinois UI Experiment
      • 11.4. An Additive Planning Problem
        • The Choice Set
        • The Objective Function and the Optimal Treatment Rule
        • The Value of Covariate Information
        • Non-Separable Planning Problems
      • 11.5. Planning with Partial Knowledge of Treatment Response
        • The Study Population and the Treatment Population
        • Planning under Ambiguity
      • 11.6. Planning and the Selection Problem
        • Bayes Rules
        • The Maximin Criterion
        • The Minimax-Regret Rule
        • Sentencing Juvenile Offenders
      • 11.7. The Ethics of Fractional Treatment Rules
        • Choosing Treatments for X-Pox
      • 11.8. Decentralized Treatment Choice
        • The Informational Argument for Decentralization
        • Decentralized Treatment of X-Pox
      • Complement 11A. Minimax-Regret Rules for Two Treatments Are Fractional
      • Complement 11B. Reporting Observable Variation in Treatment Response
      • Complement 11C. Word Problems
    • 12. Planning with Sample Data
      • 12.1. Statistical Induction
      • 12.2. Wald’s Development of Statistical Decision Theory
        • The Expected Welfare of a Statistical Treatment Rule
        • The States of Nature
        • Admissibility
        • Implementable Criteria for Treatment Choice
        • Unification of Identification, Statistical Inference, and Sample Design
      • 12.3. Using a Randomized Experiment to Evaluate an Innovation
        • The Setting
        • The Admissible Treatment Rules
        • Some Monotone Rules
        • Savage on the Maximin and Minimax-Regret Criteria
  • III. Predicting Choice Behavior
    • 13. Revealed Preference Analysis
      • 13.1. Revealing the Preferences of an Individual
        • Observation of One Choice Setting
        • Observation of Multiple Choice Settings
        • Application to General Choice Problems
        • Thought Experiment or Practical Prescription for Prediction?
      • 13.2. Random Utility Models of Population Choice Behavior
        • Consistency with Utility Theory
        • Prediction using Attributes of Alternatives and Decision Makers
        • Incomplete Data and Conditional Choice Probabilities
        • Practicality through the Conditional Logit Model
        • Other Distributional Assumptions
        • Extrapolation
      • 13.3. College Choice in America
        • An Idealized Binary Choice Setting
        • Predicting the Enrollment Effects of Student Aid Policy
        • Power and Price of the Analysis
      • 13.4. Random Expected-Utility Models
        • Identification of the Decision Rules of Proposers in Ultimatum Games
        • Rational Expectations Assumptions
        • How do Youth Infer the Returns to Schooling?
      • Complement 13A. Prediction Assuming Strict Preferences
      • Complement 13B. Axiomatic Decision Theory
    • 14. Measuring Expectations
      • 14.1. Elicitation of Expectations from Survey Respondents
        • Attitudinal Research
        • Probabilistic Expectations in Cognitive Psychology
        • Probabilistic Expectations in Economics
      • 14.2. Illustrative Findings
        • Response Rates and Use of the Percent-Chance Scale
        • One-Year-Ahead Income Expectations
        • Social Security Expectations
      • 14.3. Using Expectations Data to Predict Choice Behavior
        • Choice Expectations
        • Using Expectations and Choice Data to Estimate Random Expected-Utility Models
      • 14.4. Measuring Ambiguity
      • Complement 14A. The Predictive Power of Intentions Data: A Best-Case Analysis
        • Rational Expectations Responses to Intentions Questions
        • Prediction of Behavior Conditional on Intentions
        • Prediction Not Conditioning on Intentions
        • Interpreting Fertility Intentions
      • Complement 14B. Measuring Expectations of Facts
        • Anchoring
    • 15. Studying Human Decision Processes
      • 15.1. As-If Rationality and Bounded Rationality
        • The As-If Argument of Friedman and Savage
        • Simon and Bounded Rationality
      • 15.2. Choice Experiments
        • Heuristics and Biases
        • Widespread Irrationality or Occasional Cognitive Illusions?
      • 15.3. Prospects for a Neuroscientific Synthesis
  • References
  • Author Index
  • Subject Index

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