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Inference on Winners

delete2023-09-18
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PRE
AI
I
Isaiah Andrews *
T
Toru Kitagawa
A
Adam McCloskey
DOI:10.1093/qje/qjad043delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Policy makers, firms, and researchers often choose among multiple options based on estimates. Sampling error in the estimates used to guide choice leads to a winner's curse, since we are more likely to select a given option precisely when we overestimate its effectiveness. This winner's curse biases our estimates for selected options upward and can invalidate conventional confidence intervals. This article develops estimators and confidence intervals that eliminate this winner's curse. We illustrate our results by studying selection of job-training programs based on estimated earnings effects and selection of neighborhoods based on estimated economic opportunity. We find that our winner's curse corrections can make an economically significant difference to conclusions but still allow informative inference.
Keywords:
POST-SELECTION INFERENCE
NEIGHBORHOODS
IMPACTS
CURSE

Journal

Quarterly Journal of Economics cover
Quarterly Journal of Economics
IF:
12.7
Papers:
1.2K
Citations:
4.1W

Organization

B
Brown University
Scholars:
2.4W
Papers: 2.2W
Citations: 3.2W
University of Colorado System cover
University of Colorado System
Scholars:
6.3W
Papers: 5.5W
Citations: 1.8K