On identification and estimation of Heckman models

Author(s):  
Jonathan Cook ◽  
Joon-Suk Lee ◽  
Noah Newberger

In this article, we present commands to enable fixing the value of the correlation between the unobservables in Heckman models. These commands can solve two practical issues. First, for situations in which a valid exclusion restriction is not available, these commands enable exploring how the results could be affected by sample-selection bias. Second, stepping through values of this correlation can verify whether the global maximum of the likelihood function has been found. We provide several commands to fit these and related models with a fixed value of the correlation between the unobservables.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 351-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Breen ◽  
Seungsoo Choi ◽  
Anders Holm

Author(s):  
Tao Lu ◽  
Ruimin Hu ◽  
Zhen Han ◽  
Junjun Jiang ◽  
Jun Chang

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 1154-1175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Bodenhorn ◽  
Timothy W. Guinnane ◽  
Thomas A. Mroz

Our 2017 article in this Journal stresses the pitfalls of using choice-based samples in economic history. A prominent example is the literature addressing the so-called antebellum puzzle. Heights researchers claim that Americans grew shorter in the first half of the nineteenth century, a period of robust economic growth. We argue that this result relies on choice-based samples. Without knowing the process that led to inclusion in the sample, researchers cannot properly estimate conditional mean heights. We proposed a diagnostic that can detect, but not correct for, selection bias. Komlos and A’Hearn’s interpretation of our analysis confuses diagnosis with cure. We dispute their view that selection bias has been appreciated in the heights literature.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document