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Learning from Experiments When Context Matters
Resource type
Journal Article
Authors/contributors
- Pritchett, Lant (Author)
- Sandefur, Justin (Author)
Title
Learning from Experiments When Context Matters
Abstract
Suppose a policymaker is interested in the impact of an existing social program. Impact estimates using observational data suffer potential bias, while unbiased experimental estimates are often limited to other contexts. This creates a practical trade-off between internal and external validity for evidence-based policymaking. We explore this trade-off empirically for several common policies analyzed in development economics, including microcredit, migration, and education interventions. Based on mean-squared error, non-experimental evidence within context outperforms experimental evidence from another context. This advantage declines, but may not reverse, with experimental replication. We offer four reasons these findings are of general relevance to policy evaluation.
Publication
American Economic Review
Volume
105
Issue
5
Pages
471-475
Date
2015/05
Language
en
ISSN
0002-8282
Accessed
29/12/2023, 20:28
Library Catalogue
Citation
Pritchett, L., & Sandefur, J. (2015). Learning from Experiments When Context Matters. American Economic Review, 105(5), 471–475. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.p20151016
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