Inference for Local Parameters in Convexity Constrained Models

DOI10.1080/01621459.2022.2071721arXiv2006.10264OpenAlexW3036022257MaRDI QIDQ6185569FDOQ6185569

Authors: Hang Deng, Qiyang Han, Bodhisattva Sen 

Publication date: 8 January 2024

Published in: Journal of the American Statistical Association (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We consider the problem of inference for local parameters of a convex regression function $f_0:[0,1]omathbbR$ based on observations from a standard nonparametric regression model, using the convex least squares estimator (LSE) $widehat{f}_n$. For $x_{0}in(0,1)$, the local parameters include the pointwise function value $f_0(x_0)$, the pointwise derivative ${f_0}^{\prime }(x_0)$, and the anti-mode (i.e., the smallest minimizer) of $f_0$. The existing limiting distribution of the estimation error $(widehat{f}_n(x_0)-f_0(x_0),widehat{f^{\prime }}_n(x_0)-{f_0}^{\prime }(x_0))$ depends on the unknown second derivative ${f_0}^{″}(x_0)$, and is therefore not directly applicable for inference. To circumvent this impasse, we show that the following locally normalized errors (LNEs) enjoy pivotal limiting behavior: Let $[widehatu(x_0),widehatv(x_0)]$ be the maximal interval containing $x_0$ where $widehat{f}_n$ is linear. Then, under standard conditions, ${\displaystyle }$�inom{ sqrt{n(widehat{v}(x_0)-widehat{u}(x_0))}(widehat{f}_n(x_0)-f_0(x_0)) }{ sqrt{n(widehat{v}(x_0)-widehat{u}(x_0))^3}(widehat{f}_n'(x_0)-f_0'(x_0))} ightsquigarrow sigma cdot �inom{mathbb{L}^{(0)}_2}{mathbb{L}^{(1)}_2},${\displaystyle }$ where $n$ is the sample size, $sigma$ is the standard deviation of the errors, and $mathbb{L}_2^{(0)},mathbb{L}_2^{(1)}$ are universal random variables. This asymptotically pivotal LNE theory instantly yields a simple tuning-free procedure for constructing CIs with asymptotically exact coverage and optimal length for $f_0(x_0)$ and ${f_0}^{\prime }(x_0)$. We also construct an asymptotically pivotal LNE for the anti-mode of $f_0$, and its limiting distribution does not even depend on $sigma$. These asymptotically pivotal LNE theories are further extended to other convexity/concavity constrained models (e.g., log-concave density estimation) for which a limit distribution theory is available for problem-specific estimators.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.10264

zbMATH Keywords

convex regressionshape constraintslog-concave density estimationconvex least squares estimatorpivotal limit distribution theory

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Statistics (62-XX)

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Cited In (2)

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