Dear Colleagues,

***We apologize for cross-posting***

We would like to invite researchers to submit abstracts to a session devoted to “Contemporary issues in longitudinal and panel data analysis” at The International Conference on Social Science Methodology (RC33) September 8th – 11th, 2020, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Deadline for the submission of abstracts is 31st January 2020. An abstract should contain max. 300 words.

Session details: Contemporary issues in longitudinal and panel data analysis

Longitudinal and panel data are used to study change within the units of interest (e.g., persons, groups, organizations, or countries). However, researchers may face several difficulties when working with panel data. For example, the identification of within-unit effects and its separation from stable variation between units as well as the correct specification of the direction of effects is a central issue for causal modeling. However, in many cases the issue of reversed effects is neglected. Furthermore, a prerequisite for valid analyses and comparisons of substantive constructs across time is that the measurements are actually comparable (i.e., equivalent) across occasions. However, often this prerequisite is only assumed but not tested.

The methodological and statistical literature offers powerful tools to specify panel models that separate within- and between-unit variability and account for reciprocal causation (e.g., structural equation models with fixed effects) and to test the equivalence of measurements across time (longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis). This session aims at presenting studies that address particular analytical and conceptual problems associated with the broad issues outlined above. For example:

· Causal modeling of panel data

§ Sequential exogeneity and reciprocal causality

§ Lagged dependent and lagged independent variables

§ Flexible specification and comparison/test of alternative models

§ ML/WLS estimation and handling of missing data

· Measurement equivalence in panel data

§ How to deal with nonequivalence? Are small deviations tolerable?

o Bayesian approximate methods, alignment method

o Partial measurement equivalence

§ Sources of longitudinal measurement nonequivalence?

o Systematic panel attrition

o Life-course events

o Developmental processes

We welcome presentations that apply one of the methods mentioned above (or associated ones) and approach one of the issues related to panel data either using empirical data (1), and/or taking a methodological approach for example by using Monte-Carlo simulations.

Best regards

Daniel Seddig & Heinz Leitgöb

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PD Dr. Daniel Seddig

University of Cologne

Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology (ISS)

dseddig@uni-koeln.de mailto:dseddig@uni-koeln.de

http://www.iss-wiso.uni-koeln.de/en/institute/staff/s/dr-daniel-seddig/ http://www.iss-wiso.uni-koeln.de/en/institute/staff/s/dr-daniel-seddig/