Finite mixtures model approach to sensitive questions in surveys

Artem Shcherbina () and Rostyslav Maiboroda ()

Statistics in Transition new series, 2011, vol. 12, issue 2, 331-344

Abstract: Observations from mixtures of different subpopulations are common in biological and sociological studies. We consider the case, when the observations are taken from a set of groups containing subjects, which belong to different subpopulations. Proportion of each subpopulation in a group is known and can vary from group to group. Our aim is to estimate the means of an observed variable for subjects, which belong to each subpopulation. In this paper we consider the case, when subpopulations are defined by answers on so called “sensitive questions”. We consider some parametric and nonparametric estimates of the subpopulation means, such as weighted means, maximum likelihood and weighted least squares estimates. Finite sample properties of these estimates are analyzed. Mean square errors of the estimates are compared on simulated data. Some asymptotic results are also given.

Keywords: anonymous survey; sensitive questions; maximum likelihood; weighted mean; weighted least squares (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://index.stat.gov.pl/repec/files/csb/stintr/csb_stintr_v12_2011_i2_n9.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:csb:stintr:v:12:y:2011:i:2:p:331-344

Access Statistics for this article

Statistics in Transition new series is currently edited by Włodzimierz Okrasa

More articles in Statistics in Transition new series from Główny Urząd Statystyczny (Polska) Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Beata Witek ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).