A General Identification Algorithm For Data Fusion Problems Under Systematic Selection

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Lee, Jaron J. R., Ghassami, AmirEmad, Shpitser, Ilya
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Lee, Jaron J. R.
Ghassami, AmirEmad
Shpitser, Ilya
author_facet Lee, Jaron J. R.
Ghassami, AmirEmad
Shpitser, Ilya
contents Causal inference is made challenging by confounding, selection bias, and other complications. A common approach to addressing these difficulties is the inclusion of auxiliary data on the superpopulation of interest. Such data may measure a different set of variables, or be obtained under different experimental conditions than the primary dataset. Analysis based on multiple datasets must carefully account for similarities between datasets, while appropriately accounting for differences. In addition, selection of experimental units into different datasets may be systematic; similar difficulties are encountered in missing data problems. Existing methods for combining datasets either do not consider this issue, or assume simple selection mechanisms. In this paper, we provide a general approach, based on graphical causal models, for causal inference from data on the same superpopulation that is obtained under different experimental conditions. Our framework allows both arbitrary unobserved confounding, and arbitrary selection processes into different experimental regimes in our data. We describe how systematic selection processes may be organized into a hierarchy similar to censoring processes in missing data: selected completely at random (SCAR), selected at random (SAR), and selected not at random (SNAR). In addition, we provide a general identification algorithm for interventional distributions in this setting.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_06602
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A General Identification Algorithm For Data Fusion Problems Under Systematic Selection
Lee, Jaron J. R.
Ghassami, AmirEmad
Shpitser, Ilya
Methodology
Causal inference is made challenging by confounding, selection bias, and other complications. A common approach to addressing these difficulties is the inclusion of auxiliary data on the superpopulation of interest. Such data may measure a different set of variables, or be obtained under different experimental conditions than the primary dataset. Analysis based on multiple datasets must carefully account for similarities between datasets, while appropriately accounting for differences. In addition, selection of experimental units into different datasets may be systematic; similar difficulties are encountered in missing data problems. Existing methods for combining datasets either do not consider this issue, or assume simple selection mechanisms. In this paper, we provide a general approach, based on graphical causal models, for causal inference from data on the same superpopulation that is obtained under different experimental conditions. Our framework allows both arbitrary unobserved confounding, and arbitrary selection processes into different experimental regimes in our data. We describe how systematic selection processes may be organized into a hierarchy similar to censoring processes in missing data: selected completely at random (SCAR), selected at random (SAR), and selected not at random (SNAR). In addition, we provide a general identification algorithm for interventional distributions in this setting.
title A General Identification Algorithm For Data Fusion Problems Under Systematic Selection
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.06602