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A Crash Course in Good and Bad Controls

Author

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  • Carlos Cinelli
  • Andrew Forney
  • Judea Pearl

Abstract

Many students of statistics and econometrics express frustration with the way a problem known as “bad control†is treated in the traditional literature. The issue arises when the addition of a variable to a regression equation produces an unintended discrepancy between the regression coefficient and the effect that the coefficient is intended to represent. Avoiding such discrepancies presents a challenge to all analysts in the data intensive sciences. This note describes graphical tools for understanding, visualizing, and resolving the problem through a series of illustrative examples. By making this “crash course†accessible to instructors and practitioners, we hope to avail these tools to a broader community of scientists concerned with the causal interpretation of regression models.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Cinelli & Andrew Forney & Judea Pearl, 2024. "A Crash Course in Good and Bad Controls," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 53(3), pages 1071-1104, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:somere:v:53:y:2024:i:3:p:1071-1104
    DOI: 10.1177/00491241221099552
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    References listed on IDEAS

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