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Efficient Estimation in NPIV Models: A Comparison of Various Neural Networks-Based Estimators

Jiafeng Chen, Xiaohong Chen, Elie Tamer

arXiv 13 Oct 2021 · Econometrics · 1 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2110.06763 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) can be viewed as nonlinear sieves that can approximate complex functions of high dimensional variables more effectively than linear sieves. We investigate the performance of various ANNs in nonparametric instrumental variables (NPIV) models of moderately high dimensional covariates that are relevant to empirical economics. We present two efficient procedures for estimation and inference on a weighted average derivative (WAD): an orthogonalized plug-in with optimally-weighted sieve minimum distance (OP-OSMD) procedure and a sieve efficient score (ES) procedure. Both estimators for WAD use ANN sieves to approximate the unknown NPIV function and are root-n asymptotically normal and first-order equivalent. We provide a detailed practitioner's recipe for implementing both efficient procedures. We compare their finite-sample performances in various simulation designs that involve smooth NPIV function of up to 13 continuous covariates, different nonlinearities and covariate correlations. Some Monte Carlo findings include: 1) tuning and optimization are more delicate in ANN estimation; 2) given proper tuning, both ANN estimators with various architectures can perform well; 3) easier to tune ANN OP-OSMD estimators than ANN ES estimators; 4) stable inferences are more difficult to achieve with ANN (than spline) estimators; 5) there are gaps between current implementations and approximation theories. Finally, we apply ANN NPIV to estimate average partial derivatives in two empirical demand examples with multivariate covariates.

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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
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6–- and –- (2012) The semiparametric efficiency bound for models of sequential moment restrictions containing unknown functions0.73732100%
7Chamberlain, G (1992) Comment: sequential moment restrictions in panel data0.73732100%
8–- and Christensen, T. M (2018) Optimal sup-norm rates and uniform inference on nonlinear functionals of nonparametric iv regression0.64422100%
9–-, Liao, Y. and Wang, W (2021) b)0.64422100%
10–- and Liao, Z (2015) Sieve semiparametric two-step gmm under weak dependence0.5114225%

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Cited by, within the corpus

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1Inference on Strongly Identified Functionals of Weakly Identified Functions0.40511
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3Assumption-lean Falsification Tests of Rate Double-Robustness of Double-Machine-Learning Estimators0.40511