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Spatial Correlation Robust Inference

Ulrich K. Müller, Mark W. Watson

arXiv 18 Feb 2021 · Econometrics · publishedEconometrica (2022) · 36 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2102.09353 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

We propose a method for constructing confidence intervals that account for many forms of spatial correlation. The interval has the familiar `estimator plus and minus a standard error times a critical value' form, but we propose new methods for constructing the standard error and the critical value. The standard error is constructed using population principal components from a given `worst-case' spatial covariance model. The critical value is chosen to ensure coverage in a benchmark parametric model for the spatial correlations. The method is shown to control coverage in large samples whenever the spatial correlation is weak, i.e., with average pairwise correlations that vanish as the sample size gets large. We also provide results on correct coverage in a restricted but nonparametric class of strong spatial correlations, as well as on the efficiency of the method. In a design calibrated to match economic activity in U.S. states the method outperforms previous suggestions for spatially robust inference about the population mean.

Citation extraction

43
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Dou (2019) Optimal HAR Inference1.00054100%
2Sun and Kim (2012) Asymptotic F-Test in a GMM Framework with Cross-Sectional Dependence1.00054100%
3Conley (1999) GMM Estimation with Cross Sectional Dependence0.84333100%
4Lahiri (2003) Central Limit Theorems for Weighted Sums of a Spatial Process under a Class of Stochastic and Fixed Designs0.8226283%
5Bester, Conley, Hansen, and Vogelsang (2016) Fixed-b Asymptotics for Spatially Dependent Robust Nonparametric Covariance Matrix Estimators0.73732100%
6Ibragimov and Müller (2010) T-Statistic Based Correlation and Heterogeneity Robust Inference0.73732100%
7Kiefer, Vogelsang, and Bunzel (2000) Simple Robust Testing of Regression Hypotheses0.64422100%
8Kiefer and Vogelsang (2005) A New Asymptotic Theory for Heteroskedasticity-Autocorrelation Robust Tests0.64422100%
9Lazarus, Lewis, Stock, and Watson (2018) HAR Inference: Recommendations for Practice0.64422100%
10Müller (2004) A Theory of Robust Long-Run Variance Estimation0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 43 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

arXiv econ.EM papers that cite this one, ranked by how heavily they lean on it.

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Using Multiple Outcomes to Adjust Standard Errors for Spatial Correlation1.000145
2Nonparametric Identification and Estimation of Spatial Treatment Effect Boundaries: Evidence from 42 Million Pollution Observations1.000124
3Dynamic Spatial Treatment Effect Boundaries: A Continuous Functional Framework from Navier-Stokes Equations1.00053
4Inference in Difference-in-Differences: How Much Should We Trust in Independent Clusters?0.64452
5Emergent Dynamical Spatial Boundaries in Emergency Medical Services: A Navier-Stokes Framework from First Principles0.51121
6A Design-Based Approach to Spatial Correlation0.40511
7Dynamic Spatial Treatment Effects as Continuous Functionals: Theory and Evidence from Healthcare Access0.40511
8Bandwidth Selection for Spatial HAC Standard Errors0.40511