EconBase
← All papers

Robust Bayesian Method for Refutable Models

Moyu Liao

arXiv 9 Jan 2024 · Econometrics

arXiv:2401.04512 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

We propose a robust Bayesian method for economic models that can be rejected by some data distributions. The econometrician starts with a refutable structural assumption which can be written as the intersection of several assumptions. To avoid the assumption refutable, the econometrician first takes a stance on which assumption $j$ will be relaxed and considers a function $m_j$ that measures the deviation from the assumption $j$. She then specifies a set of prior beliefs $\Pi_s$ whose elements share the same marginal distribution $\pi_{m_j}$ which measures the likelihood of deviations from assumption $j$. Compared to the standard Bayesian method that specifies a single prior, the robust Bayesian method allows the econometrician to take a stance only on the likeliness of violation of assumption $j$ while leaving other features of the model unspecified. We show that many frequentist approaches to relax refutable assumptions are equivalent to particular choices of robust Bayesian prior sets, and thus we give a Bayesian interpretation to the frequentist methods. We use the local average treatment effect ($LATE$) in the potential outcome framework as the leading illustrating example.

Citation extraction

26
references
72
in-text mentions
26
distinct cited
1
self-citations
15,372
main-text words

appendix boundary found by appendix_command · 60% of the source is main text. Read the extracted text to check this.

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
1Giacomini, R. and T. Kitagawa (2021) Robust bayesian inference for set-identified models1.00093100%
2Liao, M (2024) Extending economic models with testable assumptions: Theory and applications self0.9568388%
3Kitagawa, T (2015) A test for instrument validity0.9285380%
4Christensen, T. and B. Connault (2023) Counterfactual sensitivity and robustness0.88513369%
5Ghosal, S. and A. Van der Vaart (2017) Fundamentals of nonparametric Bayesian inference, Volume 440.8746367%
6Imbens, G. and J. Angrist (1994) Identification and estimation of local average treatment effects0.81142100%
7Mourifié, I. and Y. Wan (2017) Testing local average treatment effect assumptions0.73732100%
8Card, D (1993) Using geographic variation in college proximity to estimate the return to schooling0.64422100%
9De Chaisemartin, C (2017) Tolerating defiance? local average treatment effects without monotonicity0.64422100%
10Dahl, C. M., M. Huber, and G. Mellace (2023) It is never too late: A new look at local average treatment effects with or without defiers0.51121100%

Showing the top 10 of 26 scored citations.