Improving control over unobservables with network data
利用网络数据改进对不可观测因素的控制
This paper develops a method to conduct causal inference in the presence of unobserved confounders by leveraging networks with homophily, a frequently observed tendency to form edges with similar nodes. I introduce a concept of asymptotic homophily, according to which individuals' selectivity scales with the size of the potential connection pool. The resulting network formation model accommodates common empirical features such as homophily, degree heterogeneity, sparsity,…