In an optimal world, there would be a natural experiment available for analysis. But I found no case where there is also access to suitable survey data. In my opinion, the best approach is to take the next best solution, that is, use a cross-section. - ThreadSky

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leoahrens.bsky.social • 360 days ago

In an optimal world, there would be a natural experiment available for analysis. But I found no case where there is also access to suitable survey data. In my opinion, the best approach is to take the next best solution, that is, use a cross-section.

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leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

The alternative would be to drop the research topic, but this creates a world where researchers only look for evidence where there is an identification strategy, which leaves many blind spots akin to the drunk who only looks for his/her keys under the street light.

leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

I consider the research topic to be important enough to warrant research with a suboptimal methodological approach.

leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

The superior methods (from a causal id perspective) also have problems, or to put it more positively, cross-sections offer some advantages relative to them. The advantages relate to generalizability.

leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

Natural experiments tend to analyze a very specific case, and it remains unclear to what extent the specific results hold across contexts. A good example is the relationship between social media use and depressions.

leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

Economists recently used the geographically staggered rollout of Face-book in a natural experiment for causal estimates. This is great, but what about social media use in other countries?

leoahrens.bsky.social•360 days ago

And what about social media use other than early-stage Facebook, which was quite different to today? We don’t know from this paper.

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