Simulation-assisted causal-comparative research

Simulation-assisted causal-comparative research is a hybrid observational design that combines the ex post facto logic of causal-comparative studies — comparing groups that differ on a naturally occurring variable — with computational simulation to strengthen causal inference, test counterfactuals, and assess the robustness of observed group differences. By augmenting real-world comparisons with simulated scenarios, researchers can explore causal mechanisms that cannot be manipulated experimentally.