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Objective methods for graphical structural learning

Author

Listed:
  • Nikolaos Petrakis
  • Stefano Peluso
  • Dimitris Fouskakis
  • Guido Consonni

Abstract

Graphical models are used for expressing conditional independence relationships among variables by the means of graphs, whose structure is typically unknown and must be inferred by the data at hand. We propose a theoretically sound Objective Bayes procedure for graphical model selection. Our method is based on the Expected‐Posterior Prior and on the Power‐Expected‐Posterior Prior. We use as input of the proposed methodology a default improper prior and suggest computationally efficient approximations of Bayes factors and posterior odds. In a variety of simulated scenarios with varying number of nodes and sample sizes, we show that our method is highly competitive with, or better than, current benchmarks. We also discuss an application to protein‐signaling data, which wieldy confirms existing results in the scientific literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Nikolaos Petrakis & Stefano Peluso & Dimitris Fouskakis & Guido Consonni, 2020. "Objective methods for graphical structural learning," Statistica Neerlandica, Netherlands Society for Statistics and Operations Research, vol. 74(3), pages 420-438, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:stanee:v:74:y:2020:i:3:p:420-438
    DOI: 10.1111/stan.12211
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Guido Consonni & Luca La Rocca & Stefano Peluso, 2017. "Objective Bayes Covariate-Adjusted Sparse Graphical Model Selection," Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, Danish Society for Theoretical Statistics;Finnish Statistical Society;Norwegian Statistical Association;Swedish Statistical Association, vol. 44(3), pages 741-764, September.
    2. J. Peters & P. Bühlmann, 2014. "Identifiability of Gaussian structural equation models with equal error variances," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 101(1), pages 219-228.
    3. C. M. Carvalho & J. G. Scott, 2009. "Objective Bayesian model selection in Gaussian graphical models," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 96(3), pages 497-512.
    4. Anindya Bhadra & Bani K. Mallick, 2013. "Joint High-Dimensional Bayesian Variable and Covariance Selection with an Application to eQTL Analysis," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 69(2), pages 447-457, June.
    5. Davide Altomare & Guido Consonni & Luca La Rocca, 2013. "Objective Bayesian Search of Gaussian Directed Acyclic Graphical Models for Ordered Variables with Non-Local Priors," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 69(2), pages 478-487, June.
    6. Dobra, Adrian & Hans, Chris & Jones, Beatrix & Nevins, J.R.Joseph R. & Yao, Guang & West, Mike, 2004. "Sparse graphical models for exploring gene expression data," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 196-212, July.
    7. Christine Peterson & Francesco C. Stingo & Marina Vannucci, 2015. "Bayesian Inference of Multiple Gaussian Graphical Models," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 110(509), pages 159-174, March.
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