Cited by 631Advanced Causal Inference TechniquesSpatial and Panel Data AnalysisStatistical Methods and Bayesian Inference

On the Use of Two-Way Fixed Effects Regression Models for Causal Inference with Panel Data

Open access
Imai, Kosuke, Kim, In Song·2021·Political Analysis

Abstract

Abstract The two-way linear fixed effects regression ( 2FE ) has become a default method for estimating causal effects from panel data. Many applied researchers use the 2FE estimator to adjust for unobserved unit-specific and time-specific confounders at the same time. Unfortunately, we demonstrate that the ability of the 2FE model to simultaneously adjust for these two types of unobserved confounders critically relies upon the assumption of linear additive effects. Another common justification for the use of the 2FE estimator is based on its equivalence to the difference-in-differences estimator under the simplest setting with two groups and two time periods. We show that this equivalence does not hold under more general settings commonly encountered in applied research. Instead, we prove that the multi-period difference-in-differences estimator is equivalent to the weighted 2FE estimator with some observations having negative weights. These analytical results imply that in contrast to the popular belief, the 2FE estimator does not represent a design-based, nonparametric estimation strategy for causal inference. Instead, its validity fundamentally rests on the modeling assumptions.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1017/pan.2020.33

Cites

19 of 19 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

0 of 3 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingreasoning

    The multi-period difference-in-differences estimator is equivalent to the weighted FE estimator with some observations having negative weights.

    “Instead, we prove that the multi-period difference-in-differences estimator is equivalent to the weighted FE estimator with some observations having negative weights.”
    • Also stated in: § . The Multi-period Difference-in-Differences Estimator · boosted
      “Instead, the following theorem establishes that the general multi-period DiD estimator given in Equation ( ) is equivalent to a weighted two-way fixed effects regression estimator.”
    • Also stated in: § T (Difference-in-Differences · plain
      “Second, although the multi-period DiD estimator can be shown to be equivalent to the weighted FE estimator, some control observations will have negative regression weights.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingreasoning

    The two-way matching estimator that eliminates mismatches within-unit and within-time dimension can be written as a weighted FE estimator.

    “The next proposition establishes that this two-way matching estimator, which eliminates mismatches within-unit and within-time dimension, can be written as a weighted FE estimator.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: The treatment varies within each unit as well as within each time period.
  • Findingreasoning

    Under the difference-in-differences design, all mismatches can be eliminated.

    “Although it is generally impossible to eliminate all mismatches, in this section we show that we can do so under the difference-in-differences (DiD) design.”
    • Also stated in: § . The Multi-period Difference-in-Differences Estimator · plain
      “It is worth noting that all three sets only contain control observations, thereby eliminating all mismatches.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: The parallel trend assumption holds for the DiD design.
  • Findingcitation

    The two-way fixed effects estimator is equivalent to a two-way matching estimator.

    “The two-way fixed effects estimator defined in Equation ( ) is equivalent to the following matching estimator,”
    • Also stated in: § Adjustment for Unobserved Confounders · plain
      “The proposition shows that the estimated counterfactual outcome of a given observation, that is,”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Imai and Kim

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Findingreasoning

    Even the weighted FE estimator, which has fewer mismatches than the standard FE estimator, suffers from some mismatches.

    “Therefore, even the weighted FE estimator, which has fewer mismatches than the standard FE estimator, suffers from some mismatches.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The two-way FE regression is a default method for estimating causal effects from panel data among applied researchers.

    “The two-way linear fixed effects regression ( FE) has become a default method for estimating causal effects from panel data.”
    “Many social scientists use the two-way fixed effects ( FE) regression, or linear regression with unit and time fixed effects, as the default methodology for estimating causal effects from panel data.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many applied researchers use the FE estimator to adjust for unobserved unit-specific and time-specific confounders at the same time.

    “Many applied researchers use the FE estimator to adjust for unobserved unit-specific and time-specific confounders at the same time.”
    “Applied researchers o en use the FE regression to adjust for unobserved unit-specific and time-specific confounders at the same time.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The two types of unobserved confounders (unit-specific and time-specific) are additive and separable, with no interaction between them.

    “Thus, although the interaction between these two types of unobserved confounders is assumed to be absent, there is no functional-form restriction on h(•) and f (•).”
    “In other words, since the treatment is binary, the model makes no restriction other than the additivity and separability of the two types of unobserved confounders.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The parallel trend assumption holds for the DiD design.

    “To establish the relations between the FE and DiD estimators, we begin by considering the following parallel trend assumption, A (Parallel Trend).”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The treatment varies within each unit as well as within each time period.

    “Assume that the treatment varies within each unit as well as within each time period, that is, 0 < T t =1 X i t < T for each i and 0 < N i =1 X i t < N for each t.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    There is at least one treated and control unit, and at least one unit with D_it = 1.

    “Assume that there is at least one treated and control unit, that is, 0 < N i =1 T t =1 X i t < NT , and that there is at least one unit with D i t = 1, that is, 0 < N i =1 T t =1 D i t .”
6 of 6

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • This approach yields an interpretable causal effect under generalizations of the parallel trends assumption and an additional no carryover assumption that imposes that potential outcomes depend only on current treatment status and not on the full treatment history.

    “This approach yields an interpretable causal effect under generalizations of the parallel trends assumption and and an additional 'no carryover' assumption that imposes that the potential outcomes depend only on current treatment status and not on the full treatment history.”

    From What's trending in difference-in-differences? A synthesis of the recent econometrics literature (2023) · cites this paper as Imai and Kim (2021)

    Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • de Chaisemartin and D'Haultfœuille (2020) and Imai and Kim (2021) consider settings where units are treated at different times, but do not necessarily require that treatment is an absorbing state.

    “de Chaisemartin and D'Haultfœuille (2020) and Imai and Kim (2021) consider settings where units are treated at different times, but do not necessarily require that treatment is an absorbing state.”
  • Their estimators compare changes in outcomes for units whose treatment status changed to other units whose treatment status remained constant over the same periods.

    “Their estimators intuitively compare changes in outcomes for units whose treatment status changed to other units whose treatment status remained constant over the same periods.”

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Authors
Imai, K., & Kim, I. S.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
Corresponding author
Kim, In Song
Venue
Political Analysis
Published
2020-11-12
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
405-415
ISSN
  • 1047-1987 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4989
OpenAlex
W3098174737
Cited by
623
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 105 · 2025: 142 · 2024: 126 · 2023: 92 · 2022: 68 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
FWCI
42.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Political Analysis (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Spatial and Panel Data Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods and Bayesian Inference
Keywords
causal inference, panel data, difference-in-differences, unmeasured confounding, negative weights, design-based estimation, model assumptions

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