A Simple Multivariate Test for Asymmetric Hypotheses Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • In this paper, we argue that claims of necessity and sufficiency involve a type of asymmetric causal claim that is useful in many social scientific contexts. Contrary to some qualitative researchers, we maintain that there is nothing about such asymmetries that should lead scholars to depart from standard social science practice. We take as given that deterministic and monocausal tests are inappropriate in the social world and demonstrate that standard multiplicative interaction models are up to the task of handling asymmetric causal claims in a multivariate, probabilistic manner. We illustrate our argument with examples from the empirical literature linking electoral institutions and party system size.

published proceedings

  • Political Analysis

author list (cited authors)

  • Clark, W. R., Gilligan, M. J., & Golder, M.

citation count

  • 73

complete list of authors

  • Clark, William Roberts||Gilligan, Michael J||Golder, Matt

publication date

  • January 2006