Skip to content
flowss
Start freeChecking your session
Causal DAG templates

Maths — Instrumental Variable

An instrument identifies a causal effect despite confounding.

Causal DAGMathematicsCausal DAG syntax docs
Template previewCausal DAG
Instrumental variableZInstrument ZXExposure XYOutcome YUUnmeasured confounderExposureOutcomeConfounderMediatorUnobservedNo adjustment set works — but `Instrument Z` is an instrument, which identifies the effect under the usual instrumental-variable assumptions.No adjustment set works here — and `Instrument Z` is an INSTRUMENT: it moves the exposure, and this diagram gives it no path to the outcome except through the exp…

Make it your own.

title "Instrumental variable"
node Z "Instrument Z"
exposure X "Exposure X"
outcome Y "Outcome Y"
unobserved U "Unmeasured confounder"
Z -> X
X -> Y
U -> X
U -> Y