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Activity Number: 525
Type: Topic Contributed
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: Business and Economic Statistics Section
Abstract #314768
Title: Design and Analysis of Experiments in Networks: Reducing Bias from Interference
Author(s): Dean Eckles* and Brian Karrer and Johan Ugander
Companies: Facebook and Facebook and Microsoft Research
Keywords: social interactions ; social networks ; field experiments ; peer effects ; social contagion ; graph partitioning
Abstract:

Estimating the effects of interventions in networks is complicated when the units are interacting, such that the outcomes for one unit may depend on the treatment assignment and behavior of many or all other units (i.e., there is interference). While some assumptions can lead to unbiased estimators of average treatment effects, these assumptions are generally unrealistic, and we focus this work on realistic assumptions. Thus, in this work, we evaluate methods for designing and analyzing randomized experiments that aim to reduce this bias and thereby reduce overall error. In design, we consider the ability to perform random assignment to treatments that is correlated in the network, such as through graph cluster randomization. In analysis, we consider incorporating information about the treatment assignment of network neighbors. We present both analytic and simulation results. We prove sufficient conditions for bias reduction. Through simulations of the entire process of experimentation in networks, we measure the performance of these methods under varied network structure and varied social behaviors, finding substantial bias and error reductions.


Authors who are presenting talks have a * after their name.

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