统计显著性:一个被误读的P值——基于美国统计学会的声明

美国统计学会"关于统计显著性与P值"的官方声明发布之后,再次引发国内外研究学者对P值的广泛关注。在介绍国内统计教材中假设检验的基本内容和步骤的基础上,以"硬币投掷"与"背影识人"为例直观性解释P值、统计显著性与统计功效等相关概念,并引用心理学统计经典调查案例分析P值被误读的原因。同时,基于美国统计学会的声明,给出正确使用P值的建议。     

Model Uncertainty and Bayesian Model Averaged Benchmark Dose Estimation for Continuous Data

The benchmark dose (BMD) approach has gained acceptance as a valuable risk assessment tool, but risk assessors still face significant challenges associated with selecting an appropriate BMD/BMDL estimate from the results of a set of acceptable dose‐response models. Current approaches do not explicitly address model uncertainty, and there is an existing need to more fully inform health risk assessors in this regard. In this study, a Bayesian model averaging (BMA) BMD estimation method taking model uncertainty into account is proposed as an alternative to current BMD estimation approaches for continuous data. Using the “hybrid” method proposed by Crump, two strategies of BMA, including both “maximum likelihood estimation based” and “Markov Chain Monte Carlo based” methods, are first applied as a demonstration to calculate model averaged BMD estimates from real continuous dose‐response data. The outcomes from the example data sets examined suggest that the BMA BMD estimates have higher reliability than the estimates from the individual models with highest posterior weight in terms of higher BMDL and smaller 90th percentile intervals. In addition, a simulation study is performed to evaluate the accuracy of the BMA BMD estimator. The results from the simulation study recommend that the BMA BMD estimates have smaller bias than the BMDs selected using other criteria. To further validate the BMA method, some technical issues, including the selection of models and the use of bootstrap methods for BMDL derivation, need further investigation over a more extensive, representative set of dose‐response data.     

Complex Latent Variable Modeling in Educational Assessment

Bayesian item response theory models have been widely used in different research fields. They support measuring constructs and modeling relationships between constructs, while accounting for complex test situations (e.g., complex sampling designs, missing data, heterogenous population). Advantages of this flexible modeling framework together with powerful simulation-based estimation techniques are discussed. Furthermore, it is shown how the Bayes factor can be used to test relevant hypotheses in assessment using the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (CBASE) data.     

Inferences on functions of Pareto parameters with application to income inequality measures

The Theil, Pietra, Éltetö and Frigyes measures of income inequality associated with the Pareto distribution function are expressed in terms of parameters defining the Pareto distribution. Inference procedures based on the generalized variable method, the large sample method, and the Bayesian method for testing of, and constructing confidence interval for, these measures are discussed. The results of Monte Carlo study are used to compare the performance of the suggested inference procedures from a population characterized by a Pareto distribution.     

Bayesian Network Structure Learning with Permutation Tests

In literature there are several studies on the performance of Bayesian network structure learning algorithms. The focus of these studies is almost always the heuristics the learning algorithms are based on, i.e., the maximization algorithms (in score-based algorithms) or the techniques for learning the dependencies of each variable (in constraint-based algorithms). In this article, we investigate how the use of permutation tests instead of parametric ones affects the performance of Bayesian network structure learning from discrete data. Shrinkage tests are also covered to provide a broad overview of the techniques developed in current literature.     

Choosing Prior Hyperparameters: With Applications to Time-Varying Parameter Models

Time-varying parameter models with stochastic volatility are widely used to study macroeconomic and financial data. These models are almost exclusively estimated using Bayesian methods. A common practice is to focus on prior distributions that themselves depend on relatively few hyperparameters such as the scaling factor for the prior covariance matrix of the residuals governing time variation in the parameters. The choice of these hyperparameters is crucial because their influence is sizeable for standard sample sizes. In this article, we treat the hyperparameters as part of a hierarchical model and propose a fast, tractable, easy-to-implement, and fully Bayesian approach to estimate those hyperparameters jointly with all other parameters in the model. We show via Monte Carlo simulations that, in this class of models, our approach can drastically improve on using fixed hyperparameters previously proposed in the literature. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.     

Bayesian Design of Special Type of Double Sampling Plans for Compliance Testing

Bayesian acceptance sampling plans, which utilize prior information on the process variation, can be employed as an alternative to conventional types of plans for taking decisions on the disposition of submitted lots. A special type of double sampling inspection plans by attributes with small acceptance numbers using Bayesian methodology is presented in this paper emphasizing its significance over small acceptance number single sampling plans. The procedures for designing such sampling plans for specified degree of discrimination which would ensure protection to the producer and consumer are discussed with illustrations under the conditions for the application of gamma-Poisson distribution.     

Utilizing Bayesian predictive power in clinical trial design

The Bayesian paradigm provides an ideal platform to update uncertainties and carry them over into the future in the presence of data. Bayesian predictive power (BPP) reflects our belief in the eventual success of a clinical trial to meet its goals. In this paper we derive mathematical expressions for the most common types of outcomes, to make the BPP accessible to practitioners, facilitate fast computations in adaptive trial design simulations that use interim futility monitoring, and propose an organized BPP-based phase II-to-phase III design framework.     

Bayesian bridge-randomized penalized quantile regression estimation for linear regression model with AP(q) perturbation

Bridge penalized regression has many desirable statistical properties such as unbiasedness, sparseness as well as ‘oracle’. In Bayesian framework, bridge regularized penalty can be implemented based on generalized Gaussian distribution (GGD) prior. In this paper, we incorporate Bayesian bridge-randomized penalty and its adaptive version into the quantile regression (QR) models with autoregressive perturbations to conduct Bayesian penalization estimation. Employing the working likelihood of the asymmetric Laplace distribution (ALD) perturbations, the Bayesian joint hierarchical models are established. Based on the mixture representations of the ALD and generalized Gaussian distribution (GGD) priors of coefficients, the hybrid algorithms based on Gibbs sampler and Metropolis-Hasting sampler are provided to conduct fully Bayesian posterior estimation. Finally, the proposed Bayesian procedures are illustrated by some simulation examples and applied to a real data application of the electricity consumption.     

Evidence of bias in the Eurovision song contest: modelling the votes using Bayesian hierarchical models

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual musical competition held among active members of the European Broadcasting Union since 1956. The event is televised live across Europe. Each participating country presents a song and receive a vote based on a combination of tele-voting and jury. Over the years, this has led to speculations of tactical voting, discriminating against some participants and thus inducing bias in the final results. In this paper we investigate the presence of positive or negative bias (which may roughly indicate favouritisms or discrimination) in the votes based on geographical proximity, migration and cultural characteristics of the participating countries through a Bayesian hierarchical model. Our analysis found no evidence of negative bias, although mild positive bias does seem to emerge systematically, linking voters to performers.