Causal inference in generalizable environments: systematic representative design

Miller, L. C. et al. (2019) Causal inference in generalizable environments: systematic representative design. Psychological Inquiry, 30(4), pp. 173-202. (doi: 10.1080/1047840X.2019.1693866)

Abstract

Causal inference and generalizability both matter. Historically, systematic designs emphasize causal inference, while representative designs focus on generalizability. Here, we suggest a transformative synthesis – Systematic Representative Design (SRD) – concurrently enhancing both causal inference and “built-in” generalizability by leveraging today’s intelligent agent, virtual environments, and other technologies. In SRD, a “default control group” (DCG) can be created in a virtual environment by representatively sampling from real-world situations. Experimental groups can be built with systematic manipulations onto the DCG base. Applying systematic design features (e.g., random assignment to DCG versus experimental groups) in SRD affords valid causal inferences. After explicating the proposed SRD synthesis, we delineate how the approach concurrently advances generalizability and robustness, cause-effect inference and precision science, a computationally-enabled cumulative psychological science supporting both “bigger theory” and concrete implementations grappling with tough questions (e.g., what is context?) and affording rapidly-scalable interventions for real-world problems.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Research reported in this article was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse under R01DA031626 awarded to Stephen Read (PI), by the National Institute of Mental Health under R01MH082671, awarded to Lynn Miller (PI), and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences under R01GM10996 awarded to Stephen Read and Lynn Miller (PIs).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Marsella, Professor Stacy
• Authors: Miller, L. C., Shaikh, S. J., Jeong, D. C., Wang, L., Gillig, T. K., Godoy, C. G., Appleby, P. R., Corsbie-Massay, C. L., Marsella, S., Christensen, J. L., and Read, S. J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Psychological Inquiry
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1047-840X
• ISSN (Online): 1532-7965
• Published Online: 04 January 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC
• First Published: First published in Psychological Inquiry 30(4):173-202
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher