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Nonparametric Unfolding of Binary Choice Data

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  • Poole, Keith T.

Abstract

This paper shows a general nonparametric unfolding technique for maximizing the correct classification of binary choice or two-category data. The motivation for and the primary focus of the unfolding technique are parliamentary roll call voting data. However, the procedures that implement the unfolding also can be applied to the problem of unfolding rank order data as well as analyzing a data set that would normally be the subject of a probit, logit, or linear probability analysis. One aspect of the scaling method greatly improves Manski's “maximum score estimator” technique for estimating limited dependent variable models. To unfold binary choice data two subproblems must be solved. First, given a set of chooser or legislator points, a cutting plane must be found such that it divides the legislators/choosers into two sets that reproduce the actual choices as closely as possible. Second, given a set of cutting planes for the binary choices, a point for each chooser or legislator must be found which reproduces the actual choices as closely as possible. Solutions for these two problems are shown in this paper. Monte Carlo tests of the procedure show it to be highly accurate in the presence of voting error and missing data.

Suggested Citation

  • Poole, Keith T., 2000. "Nonparametric Unfolding of Binary Choice Data," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 211-237, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:polals:v:8:y:2000:i:03:p:211-237_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Becker, Sascha O. & Hornung, Erik, 2020. "The Political Economy of the Prussian Three-Class Franchise," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 80(4), pages 1143-1188, December.
    2. Nathan Canen & Chad Kendall & Francesco Trebbi, 2020. "Unbundling Polarization," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(3), pages 1197-1233, May.
    3. Christopher Hare & Tzu-Ping Liu & Robert N. Lupton, 2018. "What Ordered Optimal Classification reveals about ideological structure, cleavages, and polarization in the American mass public," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 57-78, July.
    4. William B. Heller & Carol Mershon, 2008. "Dealing in Discipline: Party Switching and Legislative Voting in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, 1988–2000," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(4), pages 910-925, October.
    5. Hix, Simon & Noury, Abdul & Roland, Gerard, 2005. "Dimensions of Politics in the European Parliament," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt4gb278j5, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    6. James Lo, 2018. "Dynamic ideal point estimation for the European Parliament, 1980–2009," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 229-246, July.
    7. Richard F. Potthoff, 2018. "Estimating Ideal Points from Roll-Call Data: Explore Principal Components Analysis, Especially for More Than One Dimension?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-27, January.
    8. Simon Hug & Richard Lukács, 2014. "Preferences or blocs? Voting in the United Nations Human Rights Council," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 83-106, March.
    9. Christopher Hare & Keith T. Poole, 2015. "Measuring ideology in Congress," Chapters, in: Jac C. Heckelman & Nicholas R. Miller (ed.), Handbook of Social Choice and Voting, chapter 18, pages 327-346, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Howard Rosenthal, 2018. "Introduction to the issue in honor of Keith T. Poole," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 1-5, July.
    11. Bolton, Patrick & Li, Tao & Ravina, Enrichetta & Rosenthal, Howard, 2020. "Investor ideology," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(2), pages 320-352.
    12. René Lindstädt & Jonathan B Slapin & Ryan J Vander Wielen, 2012. "Adaptive behaviour in the European Parliament: Learning to balance competing demands," European Union Politics, , vol. 13(4), pages 465-486, December.
    13. James Lo, 2013. "Voting Present," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(4), pages 21582440135, December.

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