Introduction to Applied Bayesian Statistics and Estimation for Social Scientists (Statistics for Social and Behavioral Sciences)

Lynch, Scott M.

ISBN 10: 1441924345 / ISBN 13: 9781441924346

Published by Springer, 2010

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Introduction to Applied Bayesian Statistics and Estimation for Social Scientists (Statistics for Social and Behavioral Sciences)
• Publisher: Springer
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1441924345
• ISBN 13: 9781441924346
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis

This book provides an introduction to the Bayesian approach to statistical analysis of data, written at a level that is accessible to a social science audience. The book covers the Bayesian approach from model development through the development and implementation of programs to estimate the model, through summation and interpretation of the output. The first part provides a detailed introduction to mathematical statistics and the Bayesian approach to statistics, as well as a thorough explanation of the rationale for using simulation methods to construct summaries of posterior distributions. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods—including the Gibbs sampler and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm—are then introduced as general methods for simulating samples from distributions. Extensive discussion of programming Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms, monitoring their performance, and improving them is provided before turning to the larger examples involving real social science models and data.

From the Back Cover

Introduction to Applied Bayesian Statistics and Estimation for Social Scientists covers the complete process of Bayesian statistical analysis in great detail from the development of a model through the process of making statistical inference. The key feature of this book is that it covers models that are most commonly used in social science research, including the linear regression model, generalized linear models, hierarchical models, and multivariate regression models, and it thoroughly develops each real-data example in painstaking detail.

The first part of the book provides a detailed introduction to mathematical statistics and the Bayesian approach to statistics, as well as a thorough explanation of the rationale for using simulation methods to construct summaries of posterior distributions. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods―including the Gibbs sampler and the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm―are then introduced as general methods for simulating samples from distributions. Extensive discussion of programming MCMC algorithms, monitoring their performance, and improving them is provided before turning to the larger examples involving real social science models and data.

Scott M. Lynch is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Office of Population Research at Princeton University. His substantive research interests are in changes in racial and socioeconomic inequalities in health and mortality across age and time. His methodological interests are in the use of Bayesian stastistics in sociology and demography generally and in multistate life table methodology specifically.