随机实地实验:方法、趋势和展望

Randomized Field Experiment: Method,Trend and Prospect

随机实地实验作为识别社会现象中因果关系的重要手段,在国外经济学界正得到日益广泛的应用,而国内学界对这一重要方法的应用还刚刚起步。结合前沿文献和自己的研究实践,本文介绍了随机实地实验在可信性和创新性上的两大优势;系统地探讨随机实地实验的关键技术环节,以期降低开展实验的技术性壁垒;并对随机实地实验在国际上的研究趋势进行归纳和整理,希望能够引导国内研究实现后发赶超,推动国内随机实地实验研究的发展。

As an important method for identifying causality in social phenomena, randomized field experiments is being applied more and more widely in economics globally, however, the application of this method in the domestic academia has just started. Combining the frontier literature and my own research experience, this paper first introduces credibility and innovation as the two advantages of randomized field experiments. It then discusses systematically the key technical aspects of randomized field experiments, which is expected to reduce the technical barriers for conducting experiments. The paper also summarizes the global trends of randomized field experiments, which will help to guide the domestic research to realize the catching up and surpassing, and to promote the development of randomized field experiments in China.