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Unconditional Randomization Tests for Interference

Liang Zhong

arXiv 14 Sep 2024 · Econometrics

arXiv:2409.09243 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

Researchers are often interested in the existence and extent of interference between units when conducting causal inference or designing policy. However, testing for interference presents significant econometric challenges, particularly due to complex clustering patterns and dependencies that can invalidate standard methods. This paper introduces the pairwise imputation-based randomization test (PIRT), a general and robust framework for assessing the existence and extent of interference in experimental settings. PIRT employs unconditional randomization testing and pairwise comparisons, enabling straightforward implementation and ensuring finite-sample validity under minimal assumptions about network structure. The method's practical value is demonstrated through an application to a large-scale policing experiment in Bogota, Colombia (Blattman et al., 2021), which evaluates the effects of hotspot policing on crime at the street segment level. The analysis reveals that increased police patrolling in hotspots significantly displaces violent crime, but not property crime. Simulations calibrated to this context further underscore the power and robustness of PIRT.

Citation extraction

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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
1Blattman, C., D. P. Green, D. Ortega, and S. Tobón (2021) Place-Based Interventions at Scale: The Direct and Spillover Effects of Policing and City Services on Crime [Clustering as a Des…0.95825588%
2Zhang, Y. and Q. Zhao (2023) What is a Randomization Test?0.9507486%
3Athey, S., D. Eckles, and G. W. Imbens (2018) Exact p-Values for Network Interference0.9098575%
4Basse, G., P. Ding, A. Feller, and P. Toulis (2024) Randomization Tests for Peer Effects in Group Formation Experiments0.8947471%
5Guan, L (2023) A conformal test of linear models via permutation-augmented regressions0.87472100%
6Hoshino, T. and T. Yanagi (2023) Randomization Test for the Specification of Interference Structure0.8434475%
7Puelz, D., G. Basse, A. Feller, and P. Toulis (2021) A Graph-Theoretic Approach to Randomization Tests of Causal Effects under General Interference0.84315760%
8Kelly, M (2021) Persistence, Randomization, and Spatial Noise, Working Papers 202124, School of Economics, University College Dublin0.84333100%
9Imbens, G. W. and D. B. Rubin (2015) Causal Inference for Statistics, Social, and Biomedical Sciences: An Introduction0.81142100%
10Basse, G. W., A. Feller, and P. Toulis (2019) Randomization tests of causal effects under interference0.81142100%

Showing the top 10 of 68 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
1Randomization Tests in Switchback Experiments1.00053
2Randomization Tests in Randomized Saturation Designs0.81142
3Randomization Inference of Heterogeneous Treatment Effects under Network Interference0.40511
4Testing Exclusion and Shape Restrictions in Potential Outcomes Models0.40511
5A Design-Based Approach to Testing and Inference in (Quasi-)Experiments with Spillovers0.40511