Marginalization and collapsibility in graphical interaction models (Q2277717)

A graphical interaction model is a model for association among variables where each variable is represented by a vertex on the graph, and two vertices are connected if there is a direct association between the corresponding variables, so that two variables are not connected if they are conditionally independent given some other variables. Such a model is called collapsible onto a set of variables if the implied model for the marginal distributions for these variables is equal to the graphical interaction model given by the induced subgraph. A necessary and sufficient condition for collapsibility is found. Several implications of collapsibility are discussed.