Evidence of Causation—The Contribution of Life Course Research, Part I: Dominant Models of Causal Inference and Their Limitations in Life Course Research
Title
Evidence of Causation—The Contribution of Life Course Research, Part I: Dominant Models of Causal Inference and Their Limitations in Life Course Research
Author
Blossfeld, Hans‐Peter
Research Area
Social Processes
Topic
Life Course
Abstract
Life course research has been increasingly criticized for relying only on observational data where processes by which subjects select themselves (or are selected) into the states of a causal variable are not under the control of the researcher. The primary objectives of this essay, the first in a two‐part set, are to discuss two dominant models of causal inference and to identify the uses and limitations of randomized control trials (RCTs) and quasi‐experimental designs for answering life course questions.