IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/obuest/v71y2009i3p357-374.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Disproving Causal Relationships Using Observational Data

Author

Listed:
  • Henry L. Bryant
  • David A. Bessler
  • Michael S. Haigh

Abstract

Economic theory is replete with causal hypotheses that are scarcely tested because economists are generally constrained to work with observational data. We describe a method for testing a hypothesis that one observed random variable causes another. Contingent on a sufficiently strong correspondence between the two variables, an appropriately related third variable can be employed for the test. The logic of the procedure naturally suggests strong and weak grounds for rejecting the causal hypothesis. Monte Carlo results suggest that weakly grounded rejections are unreliable for small samples, but reasonably reliable for large samples. Strongly grounded rejections are highly reliable, even for small samples.

Suggested Citation

  • Henry L. Bryant & David A. Bessler & Michael S. Haigh, 2009. "Disproving Causal Relationships Using Observational Data," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 71(3), pages 357-374, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:71:y:2009:i:3:p:357-374
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0084.2008.00539.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.2008.00539.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1468-0084.2008.00539.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alessio Moneta, 2008. "Graphical causal models and VARs: an empirical assessment of the real business cycles hypothesis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 275-300, September.
    2. Selva Demiralp & Kevin D. Hoover & Stephen J. Perez, 2008. "A Bootstrap Method for Identifying and Evaluating a Structural Vector Autoregression," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 70(4), pages 509-533, August.
    3. Hoover,Kevin D., 2001. "Causality in Macroeconomics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521002882, September.
    4. David A. Bessler & Seongpyo Lee, 2002. "Money and prices: U.S. Data 1869-1914 (A study with directed graphs)," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 427-446.
    5. Michael S. Haigh & David A. Bessler, 2004. "Causality and Price Discovery: An Application of Directed Acyclic Graphs," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 77(4), pages 1099-1121, October.
    6. Selva Demiralp & Kevin D. Hoover, 2003. "Searching for the Causal Structure of a Vector Autoregression," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 65(s1), pages 745-767, December.
    7. Selva Demiralp & Kevin D. Hoover, 2003. "Searching for the Causal Structure of a Vector Autoregression," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 65(s1), pages 745-767, December.
    8. Peltzman, Sam, 1975. "The Effects of Automobile Safety Regulation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 83(4), pages 677-725, August.
    9. James J. Heckman, 2000. "Causal Parameters and Policy Analysis in Economics: A Twentieth Century Retrospective," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(1), pages 45-97.
    10. Hoover, Kevin D., 2005. "Automatic Inference Of The Contemporaneous Causal Order Of A System Of Equations," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(1), pages 69-77, February.
    11. Swanson, N.R. & Granger, C.W.J., 1994. "Impulse Response Functions Based on Causal Approach to Residual Orthogonalization in Vector Autoregressions," Papers 9-94-1, Pennsylvania State - Department of Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dharmasena, Senarath & Bessler, David A. & Todd, Jessica, 2016. "Socioeconomic, Demographic and Geographic Factors Affecting Household Food Purchase and Acquisition Decisions in the United States as a Complex Economic System," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235646, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Hogun Chong & Mary Zey & David A. Bessler, 2010. "On corporate structure, strategy, and performance: a study with directed acyclic graphs and PC algorithm," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 47-62.
    3. David Bessler & Zijun Wang, 2012. "D-separation, forecasting, and economic science: a conjecture," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 295-314, August.
    4. Henry L. Bryant & David A. Bessler, 2016. "Conditions Sufficient to Infer Causal Relationships Using Instrumental Variables and Observational Data," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 48(1), pages 29-57, June.
    5. Xiaojie Xu, 2017. "Contemporaneous causal orderings of US corn cash prices through directed acyclic graphs," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 731-758, March.
    6. Alessio Moneta & Doris Entner & Patrik O. Hoyer & Alex Coad, 2013. "Causal Inference by Independent Component Analysis: Theory and Applications," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 75(5), pages 705-730, October.
    7. Anton-Erxleben, Katharina & Kibriya, Shahriar & Zhang, Yu, 2016. "Bullying as the main driver of low performance in schools: Evidence from Botswana, Ghana, and South Africa," MPRA Paper 75555, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Michael Margolis, 2017. "Graphs as a Tool for the Close Reading of Econometrics (Settler Mortality is not a Valid Instrument for Institutions)," Economic Thought, World Economics Association, vol. 6(1), pages 56-82, March.
    9. Alex Coad & Dominik Janzing & Paul Nightingale, 2018. "Tools for causal inference from cross-sectional innovation surveys with continuous or discrete variables: Theory and applications," Revista Cuadernos de Economia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID, vol. 37(75), pages 779-808, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Piyachart Phiromswad & Takeshi Yagihashi, 2016. "Empirical identification of factor models," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 621-658, September.
    2. Wang, Zijun, 2012. "The causal structure of bond yields," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 93-102.
    3. Daniel Felix Ahelegbey & Monica Billio & Roberto Casarin, 2016. "Bayesian Graphical Models for STructural Vector Autoregressive Processes," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 357-386, March.
    4. Bruns, Stephan B. & Moneta, Alessio & Stern, David I., 2021. "Estimating the economy-wide rebound effect using empirically identified structural vector autoregressions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Andrew Rettenmaier & Zijun Wang, 2013. "What determines health: a causal analysis using county level data," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(5), pages 821-834, October.
    6. Peter G. Fennell & David O'Sullivan & Antoine Godin & Stephen Kinsella, 2014. "Visualising stock flow consistent models as directed acyclic graphs," Papers 1409.4541, arXiv.org.
    7. Alessio Moneta & Doris Entner & Patrik O. Hoyer & Alex Coad, 2013. "Causal Inference by Independent Component Analysis: Theory and Applications," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 75(5), pages 705-730, October.
    8. Guerini, Mattia & Moneta, Alessio, 2017. "A method for agent-based models validation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 125-141.
    9. Piyachart Phiromswad, 2014. "Measuring monetary policy with empirically grounded identifying restrictions," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 681-699, March.
    10. Kevin Hoover, 2005. "Economic Theory and Causal Inference," Working Papers 64, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    11. Selva Demiralp & Kevin Hoover & Stephen Perez, 2014. "Still puzzling: evaluating the price puzzle in an empirically identified structural vector autoregression," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 701-731, March.
    12. Fazal, Rizwan & Bhatti, M. Ishaq & Rehman, Atiq Ur, 2022. "Causality Analysis: The study of Size and Power based on riz-PC Algorithm of Graph Theoretic Approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    13. Verbrugge, Randal & Zaman, Saeed, 2023. "The hard road to a soft landing: Evidence from a (modestly) nonlinear structural model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    14. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/3l2vounfl99nvqsr0k24sn3k5l is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Perez, Stephen J. & Siegler, Mark V., 2006. "Agricultural and monetary shocks before the great depression: A graph-theoretic causal investigation," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 720-736, December.
    16. Michael Margolis, 2017. "Graphs as a Tool for the Close Reading of Econometrics (Settler Mortality is not a Valid Instrument for Institutions)," Economic Thought, World Economics Association, vol. 6(1), pages 56-82, March.
    17. Lima, Elcyon Caiado & Maka, Alexis & Céspedes, Brisne, 2008. "Monetary Policy, Inflation and the Level of Economic Activity in Brazil After the Real Plan: Stylized Facts from SVAR Models," Revista Brasileira de Economia - RBE, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil), vol. 62(2), October.
    18. Guerini, Mattia & Moneta, Alessio & Napoletano, Mauro & Roventini, Andrea, 2020. "The Janus-Faced Nature Of Debt: Results From A Data-Driven Cointegrated Svar Approach," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(1), pages 24-54, January.
    19. Moonsoo Park & Yanhong H. Jin & David A. Bessler, 2008. "The impacts of animal disease crises on the Korean meat market," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(2), pages 183-195, September.
    20. Randal Verbrugge & Saeed Zaman, 2024. "Post‐COVID inflation dynamics: Higher for longer," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(4), pages 871-893, July.
    21. Selva Demiralp & Kevin D. Hoover & Stephen J. Perez, 2008. "A Bootstrap Method for Identifying and Evaluating a Structural Vector Autoregression," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 70(4), pages 509-533, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:obuest:v:71:y:2009:i:3:p:357-374. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/sfeixuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.