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Lecture

Causal Inference: Front Door Criterion

In course

MGT-416: Causal inference

Students will learn the core concepts and techniques of network analysis with emphasis on causal inference. Theory and application will be balanced, with students working directly with network data throughout the course. ...

Description

This lecture covers the concept of the front door criterion in causal inference, explaining the conditions under which a set of variables satisfies this criterion for an ordered pair. It discusses the blocking of directed paths, the absence of backdoor paths, and the observation of blocked paths. The sufficient conditions for the front door criterion are detailed, emphasizing the importance of variables blocking paths effectively.

Instructor

Negar Kiyavash

Official source

Related concepts (10)

Causal model

In the philosophy of science, a causal model (or structural causal model) is a conceptual model that describes the causal mechanisms of a system. Several types of causal notation may be used in the development of a causal model. Causal models can improve study designs by providing clear rules for deciding which independent variables need to be included/controlled for. They can allow some questions to be answered from existing observational data without the need for an interventional study such as a randomized controlled trial.

Directed graph

In mathematics, and more specifically in graph theory, a directed graph (or digraph) is a graph that is made up of a set of vertices connected by directed edges, often called arcs. In formal terms, a directed graph is an ordered pair where V is a set whose elements are called vertices, nodes, or points; A is a set of ordered pairs of vertices, called arcs, directed edges (sometimes simply edges with the corresponding set named E instead of A), arrows, or directed lines.

Directed acyclic graph

In mathematics, particularly graph theory, and computer science, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a directed graph with no directed cycles. That is, it consists of vertices and edges (also called arcs), with each edge directed from one vertex to another, such that following those directions will never form a closed loop. A directed graph is a DAG if and only if it can be topologically ordered, by arranging the vertices as a linear ordering that is consistent with all edge directions.

Path (graph theory)

In graph theory, a path in a graph is a finite or infinite sequence of edges which joins a sequence of vertices which, by most definitions, are all distinct (and since the vertices are distinct, so are the edges). A directed path (sometimes called dipath) in a directed graph is a finite or infinite sequence of edges which joins a sequence of distinct vertices, but with the added restriction that the edges be all directed in the same direction. Paths are fundamental concepts of graph theory, described in the introductory sections of most graph theory texts.

Shortest path problem

In graph theory, the shortest path problem is the problem of finding a path between two vertices (or nodes) in a graph such that the sum of the weights of its constituent edges is minimized. The problem of finding the shortest path between two intersections on a road map may be modeled as a special case of the shortest path problem in graphs, where the vertices correspond to intersections and the edges correspond to road segments, each weighted by the length of the segment.

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