Derek Neal of the University of Chicago comments that our discussion of bad control in section 3.2.3 leaves the impression that more control is always better as long as the controls are pre-determined relative to the causal variable of interest. The leading counter-example is the case of within-family or twins estimates that we discuss as the “baby with the bathwater problem” on p. 226. Here you might indeed increase omitted variables bias even though the controls are not bad in the section 3.2.3 sense:
Hi Guys:
I agree that the issue I am raising is conceptually different, but as a practical matter, the “bad control” issues and “baby with the bathwater problem” both fall under a larger heading of “can more controls ever make things worse.” Your discussion of bad control may lead some students to believe that the answer is “only if the extra controls are endogenous.”
If you ever have a second edition, I think there is an argument for dealing with all aspects of the “can more controls ever make things worse” question all in one place.
Point taken! We hope to fix this in the next edition . . .
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