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Everything about Categorical variable
Variable capable of taking on a limited number of possible values
In statistics, a categorical variable is a variable that can take on one of a limited, and usually fixed, number of possible values, assigning each individual or other unit of observation to a particular group or nominal category on the basis of some qualitative property. In computer science and some branches of mathematics, categorical variables are referred to as enumerations or enumerated types. Commonly, each of the possible values of a categorical variable is referred to as a level. The probability distribution associated with a random categorical variable is called a categorical distribution. Wikipedia →
🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Categorical variableA 5-minute orientation
- Skim a recent paper: A General Mathematical Framework for Constrained Mixed-variable Blackbox Optimization Problems with Meta and Categorical VariablesInfluential work since 2022
- Pick up a classic book: Statistics for business and economicsThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: Statistical mediation analysis with a multicategorical independent variableCited 2,771 times
- Go sideways: Moderation (statistics)A closely related topic
- Go sideways: Dummy variable (statistics)A closely related topic
📖 Definitions
Noun A nominal variable.
🗂️ The subject at a glance
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
Statistical mediation analysis with a multicategorical independent variable
When can categorical variables be treated as continuous? A comparison of robust continuous and categorical SEM estimation methods under suboptimal conditions.
Bilingualism is not a categorical variable: Interaction between language proficiency and usage
Experimental Personality Designs: Analyzing Categorical by Continuous Variable Interactions
Latent variable structural equation modeling with categorical data
A Comparative Study of Categorical Variable Encoding Techniques for Neural Network Classifiers
Modeling a Categorical Variable Allowing Arbitrarily Many Category Choices
Categorical Variable Segmentation Model for Software Development Effort Estimation
🆕 Influential since 2022
A General Mathematical Framework for Constrained Mixed-variable Blackbox Optimization Problems with Meta and Categorical Variables
Smoothing target encoding and class center-based firefly algorithm for handling missing values in categorical variable
Fast estimation of multiple group generalized linear latent variable models for categorical observed variables
Independence index sufficient variable screening for categorical responses
Process modeling with multi-level categorical inputs via variable selection and level aggregation
📚 Books worth reading
Statistics for business and economicsJames T. McClave, P. George Benson · 1978
Educational researchNorman E Wallen, Norman E. Wallen · 2000- 📕Generalized Linear Models for Categorical and Continuous Limited Dependent VariablesMichael Smithson, Edgar C. Merkle · 2013
- 📕Applied Regression ModelingJun Xu · 2022
Categorical variables in developmental researchAlexander von Eye, Clifford C. Clogg · 1996
Regression models for categorical dependent variables using StataJ. Scott Long · 2001
Introductory statistics for health and nursing using SPSSLouise Marston · 2009- 📕StatisticsKunihiro Suzuki · 2019
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
🔗 Related topics
- Moderation (statistics) In statistics and regression analysis, moderation (also known as effect modification) occurs when the relationship between two variables depends on a third…
- Dummy variable (statistics) In regression analysis, a dummy variable (also known as indicator variable or just dummy) is one that takes a binary value (0 or 1) to indicate the absence…
- Omnibus test Omnibus tests are a kind of statistical test. They test whether the explained variance in a set of data is significantly greater than the unexplained variance…
- Nominal category In statistics, a nominal category (also nominal variable or nominal group) is a collection of objects or ideas grouped according to a particular qualitative…
- Interaction (statistics) In statistics, an interaction may arise when considering the relationship among three or more variables, and describes a situation in which the effect…
- Contrast (statistics) In statistics, particularly in the analysis of variance and linear regression, a contrast is a linear combination of variables (parameters or statistics)…
- Linear predictor function In statistics and in machine learning, a linear predictor function is a linear function (linear combination) of a set of coefficients and explanatory variables…
- F-test An F-test is a statistical test that compares variances. It is used to determine if the variances of two samples, or if the ratios of variances among multiple…