Skip to main content

A New Method for Hypothesis Testing Using Inferential Models with an Application to the Changepoint Problem

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Integrated Uncertainty in Knowledge Modelling and Decision Making (IUKM 2016)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 9978))

Abstract

Hypothesis testing, which has been studied since the time of Fisher, Neyman and Pearson, is a fundamentally important task in statistics. As of now, the classical p-value has been extensively used for more than half a century. However, a number of serious drawbacks have been documented over the years. With the flourish of data science recently, there is a growing demand for better approaches. In this paper, we propose a novel method for hypothesis testing based on the inferential models by Martin and Liu. Our approach not only avoids all major weaknesses of the classical p-value but also provides considerable flexibility in perform testing. Besides, in this regard, the inferential model has some advantages over the popular Bayesian framework.

As for application, the hazard rate estimation in the changepoint problem is investigated with the Down Jones index data. In particular, explicit computations are performed, and followed by a set of graphs at the changepoints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Wasserstein, R.L., Lazar, N.A.: The ASA’s statement on p-values: context, process, and purpose. Am. Stat. 70, 129–133 (2016)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  2. Goodman, S.: A dirty dozen: twelve P-value misconceptions. Semin. Hematol. 45, 135–140 (2008). Elsvier

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gelman, A.: P values and statistical practice. Epidemiology 24, 69–72 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Martin, R., Liu, C.: A note on p-values interpreted as plausibilities. Stat. Sin. 24, 1703–1716 (2014)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Martin, R.: Plausibility functions and exact frequentist inference. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 110(512), 1552–1561 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. Wetzels, R., Grasman, R., Wagenmakers, E.J.: A default Bayesian hypothesis test for ANOVA designs. Am. Stat. 66(2), 104–111 (2012)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Martin, R., Liu, C.: Inferential Models: Reasoning with Uncertainty, vol. 145. CRC Press, New York (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Martin, R., Zhang, J., Liu, C.: Dempster-Shafer theory and statistical inference with weak beliefs. Statistical Science, 72–87 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wilson, R.C., Nassar, M.R., Gold, J.I.: Bayesian online learning of the hazard rate in change-point problems. Neural Comput. 22(9), 2452–2476 (2010)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Adams, R.P., MacKay, D.J.C.: Bayesian online changepoint detection. arXiv preprint arXiv:0710.3742 (2007)

  11. Dempster, A.P.: The Dempster-Shafer calculus for statisticians. Int. J. Approx. Reason. 48(2), 365–377 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Martin, R., Liu, C.: Inferential models: a framework for prior-free posterior probabilistic inference. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 108(501), 301–313 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Martin, R.: Random sets and exact confidence regions. Sankhya A 76(2), 288–304 (2014)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our deep gratitude to professor Hung T. Nguyen of New Mexico State University/Chiang Mai university for bringing the inferential models to our attention, for his encouragements, and for numerous helpful discussions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Son Phuc Nguyen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG

About this paper

Cite this paper

Nguyen, S.P., Pham, U.H., Nguyen, T.D., Le, H.T. (2016). A New Method for Hypothesis Testing Using Inferential Models with an Application to the Changepoint Problem. In: Huynh, VN., Inuiguchi, M., Le, B., Le, B., Denoeux, T. (eds) Integrated Uncertainty in Knowledge Modelling and Decision Making. IUKM 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9978. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49046-5_45

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49046-5_45

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-49045-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-49046-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics