Register now! Computational Social Sciences Workshop: A Comparison of Classical and Counterfactual Approaches to Mediation Analysis [1 Smart Point, 15 CS]

 2025-03-19     FSS     Workshop / 工作坊    (Expired/已過期)

Computational Social Sciences Workshop: A Comparison of Classical and Counterfactual Approaches to Mediation Analysis

Speaker: Prof. Shawn BAULDRY, Professor, Department of Sociology, Purdue University, USA
Date: 3/4/2025 (Thu)
Time: 13:30 – 15:00
Venue: E2-G012
Language: English
 
Abstract:

This talk examines the evolution and current state of mediation analysis in social and behavioral science research. Beginning with the classical approach popularized by Baron and Kenny (1986), I illustrate through simulation studies how unaddressed confounders, omitted mediators, and misspecified relationships between mediators can produce substantial bias in estimates of indirect effects. I then discuss causal mediation analysis that draws on a counterfactual framework based on insights from directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and potential outcomes. I illustrate how controlled direct effects, natural direct effects, and natural indirect effects offer more refined estimands for understanding causal mechanisms, particularly when interaction effects are present. Throughout, I emphasize the importance of careful consideration of model specification for valid inference in mediation analysis.

For participants who have registered and attended the workshop, Smart Point / CS will be given as “Knowledge Integration”.

Please note the following guidelines of Smart Point scheme:

  1. Students who attend the WHOLE activity and arrive ON TIME will be given one Smart Point;
  2. Students who arrive late or leave early within 10 minutes will be given only half a Smart Point;
  3. Students who arrive late or leave early over 10 minutes will NOT be given any Smart Point;
  4. Students who leave the venue during the activity for over 15 minutes will NOT be given any Smart Point;
  5. Students are required to check in/out of the activity with Student ID Card. For those who do not respect the activity or neglect the staff’s guidance, SAO reserves the right to cancel his/her Smart Point;
  6. For those who do not respect the activity or ignore the staff’s guidance, Student Affairs Office (SAO) reserves the right to cancel his/her Smart Point. SAO also reserves the right to interpret and process the Smart Point scheme.

Enquiry：8822 8976 or fss.enquiry@um.edu.mo 

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