Failing to control for population density produces spurious no-disparity findings in waste-siting studies.

Evidence

This is a troublesome result, and it is understandable that objections can be raised. For instance, some might argue that it is impossible for researchers to control for every single factor that can matter in a judge’s decision; there could be additional features of the case that can be observed by the judge but unobserved by researchers, and these omitted variables could be driving the findings. This objection, while reasonable, does not have the power it used to have thirty years ago when empirical analyses were much less sophisticated and big and detailed data sets were not available. This “omitted variable bias” argument has less credibility now because researchers apply increasingly sophisticated statistical techniques to large data sets which include rich information on the case: most, if not all, of the information that is available to the judge. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 778 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

With enough ingenuity, one could probably trace this extreme confusion to different uses of concepts and measures. But if the relationships between the variables were very strong, mere differences in preferred measures ought not to produce such wildly divergent findings. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4344 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Changing the geographic unit of analysis can make racial siting disparities statistically vanish; Waste-siting studies vary by ethnic group and methodology, and industry funding can shape findings.; One nationwide study found no demographic shifts after waste facilities were sited. (+2 more)

Related

• Omitted-variable critiques of bias studies have weakened with richer data (similarity 0.84)
• Changing the geographic unit of analysis can make racial siting disparities statistically vanish (similarity 0.83)
• Contradictory siting studies differed mainly over geographic unit and comparison scope (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Omitted-variable critiques of bias studies have weakened with richer data #corroborates (0.75) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 778
• Contradictory findings signal weak effects rather than mere measurement differences #contradicts (0.72) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4344