Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders
Causal inference is a fundamental goal of many research endeavors, including scholarship in the field of language education and learning. Randomized controlled trials are considered an ideal design to test causal claims, but not all claims can be subjected to experimental treatment due to ethical an...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/48231 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849727868746072064 |
|---|---|
| author | Ali H. Al-Hoorie Phil Hiver |
| author_facet | Ali H. Al-Hoorie Phil Hiver |
| author_sort | Ali H. Al-Hoorie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Causal inference is a fundamental goal of many research endeavors, including scholarship in the field of language education and learning. Randomized controlled trials are considered an ideal design to test causal claims, but not all claims can be subjected to experimental treatment due to ethical and practical constraints. In this article, we provide an overview of the conditions under which causal inference may be made from observational data. This includes recognition of the role of confounders and colliders; the former are common causes of the independent and dependent variables and must be controlled, while the latter are common effects and must not be controlled. We illustrate these ideas with two examples involving ability beliefs and demonstrate them through directed acyclic graphs. We discuss the implications of this approach to causal inference from observational data, specifically in individual differences in language learning research, highlighting the need for explicit modeling of causal relationships and the risk of the atheoretical inclusion of variables, whether as controls, predictors, or covariates. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f1decd5dbec14ea19ed2ed2d5b5fed65 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2083-5205 2084-1965 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching |
| spelling | doaj-art-f1decd5dbec14ea19ed2ed2d5b5fed652025-08-20T03:09:44ZengAdam Mickiewicz University in PoznańStudies in Second Language Learning and Teaching2083-52052084-19652025-06-0115222724910.14746/ssllt.4823178194Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and collidersAli H. Al-Hoorie0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3810-5978Phil Hiver1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2004-7960Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu Florida State University Causal inference is a fundamental goal of many research endeavors, including scholarship in the field of language education and learning. Randomized controlled trials are considered an ideal design to test causal claims, but not all claims can be subjected to experimental treatment due to ethical and practical constraints. In this article, we provide an overview of the conditions under which causal inference may be made from observational data. This includes recognition of the role of confounders and colliders; the former are common causes of the independent and dependent variables and must be controlled, while the latter are common effects and must not be controlled. We illustrate these ideas with two examples involving ability beliefs and demonstrate them through directed acyclic graphs. We discuss the implications of this approach to causal inference from observational data, specifically in individual differences in language learning research, highlighting the need for explicit modeling of causal relationships and the risk of the atheoretical inclusion of variables, whether as controls, predictors, or covariates.https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/48231dagd-separationsubstantiationovercontrol biasendogenous selection bias |
| spellingShingle | Ali H. Al-Hoorie Phil Hiver Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching dag d-separation substantiation overcontrol bias endogenous selection bias |
| title | Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders |
| title_full | Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders |
| title_fullStr | Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders |
| title_short | Causality and ability beliefs: An introduction to confounders and colliders |
| title_sort | causality and ability beliefs an introduction to confounders and colliders |
| topic | dag d-separation substantiation overcontrol bias endogenous selection bias |
| url | https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt/article/view/48231 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alihalhoorie causalityandabilitybeliefsanintroductiontoconfoundersandcolliders AT philhiver causalityandabilitybeliefsanintroductiontoconfoundersandcolliders |