Working Paper: NBER ID: w17062
Authors: Jens Ludwig; Jeffrey R. Kling; Sendhil Mullainathan
Abstract: Randomized controlled trials are increasingly used to evaluate policies. How can we make these experiments as useful as possible for policy purposes? We argue greater use should be made of experiments that identify behavioral mechanisms that are central to clearly specified policy questions, what we call "mechanism experiments." These types of experiments can be of great policy value even if the intervention that is tested (or its setting) does not correspond exactly to any realistic policy option.
Keywords: randomized controlled trials; policy evaluation; mechanism experiments
JEL Codes: C93
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| mechanism experiments (C90) | policymakers' belief in effectiveness of policing (D78) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | decision-making process of policymakers (D72) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | screening tool for policy evaluations (J78) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | insights into parameters for decision-making (D91) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | ruling out ineffective policies (D78) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | expanding viable policy options (D78) |
| mechanism experiments (C90) | changes in policy focus and funding allocation (O23) |
| Moving to Opportunity (MTO) experiment (R23) | insights into effects of neighborhood environments (R23) |