考虑集群网络干扰的因果评估,提升政策效果估计准确性
Qini Curve Estimation under Clustered Network Interference
- 构建集群干扰下的实验设计框架,支持有干扰场景的因果推断
- 提出三种适配不同条件的估计策略,平衡偏差与方差
- 通过电商模拟器验证方法有效性,适合政策与营销研究者
Qini曲线是评估受分配约束下治疗策略的重要工具,可直观展示新策略带来的增量收益与实施成本之间的权衡。传统估计方法假设个体间无干扰,即一个单元的处理不影响其他单元结果。但在公共政策或市场营销等实际场景中,干扰普遍存在。忽略干扰会导致Qini曲线系统性偏差,高估或低估策略成本效益。本文研究在集群网络干扰下的Qini曲线估计问题,其中相互干扰的单元构成独立集群。我们提出正式的问题设定与实验设计,可有效应对此类干扰。在此框架下,描述三种适用于不同条件的估计策略,并通过分析偏差-方差权衡提供选型指导。为补充理论分析,我们构建了一个模拟电商平台,复现典型电商环境中的集群网络干扰,用于实践评估和比较所提策略。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Qini curves are a widely used tool for assessing treatment policies under allocation constraints as they visualize the incremental gain of a new treatment policy versus the cost of its implementation. Standard Qini curve estimation assumes no interference between units: that is, that treating one unit does not influence the outcome of any other unit. In many real-life applications such as public policy or marketing, however, the presence of interference is common. Ignoring interference in these scenarios can lead to systematically biased Qini curves that over- or under-estimate a treatment policy's cost-effectiveness. In this paper, we address the problem of Qini curve estimation under clustered network interference, where interfering units form independent clusters. We propose a formal description of the problem setting with an experimental study design under which we can account for clustered network interference. Within this framework, we describe three estimation strategies, each suited to different conditions, and provide guidance for selecting the most appropriate approach by highlighting the inherent bias-variance trade-offs. To complement our theoretical analysis, we introduce a marketplace simulator that replicates clustered network interference in a typical e-commerce environment, allowing us to evaluate and compare the proposed strategies in practice.
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