IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v162y2022i3d10.1007_s11205-022-02883-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Classification of Poverty Condition Using Natural Language Processing

Author

Listed:
  • Guberney Muñetón-Santa

    (Universidad de Antioquia
    Universidad de Antioquia)

  • Daniel Escobar-Grisales

    (Universidad de Antioquia)

  • Felipe Orlando López-Pabón

    (Universidad de Antioquia)

  • Paula Andrea Pérez-Toro

    (Universidad de Antioquia
    Friedrich Alexander-Universität)

  • Juan Rafael Orozco-Arroyave

    (Universidad de Antioquia
    Friedrich Alexander-Universität)

Abstract

This work introduces a methodology to classify between poor and extremely poor people through Natural Language Processing. The approach serves as a baseline to understand and classify poverty through the people’s discourses using machine learning algorithms. Based on classical and modern word vector representations we propose two strategies for document level representations: (1) document-level features based on the concatenation of descriptive statistics and (2) Gaussian mixture models. Three classification methods are systematically evaluated: Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, and Extreme Gradient Boosting. The fourth best experiments yielded around 55% of accuracy, while the embeddings based on GloVe word vectors yielded a sensitivity of 79.6% which could be of great interest for the public policy makers to accurately find people who need to be prioritized in social programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Guberney Muñetón-Santa & Daniel Escobar-Grisales & Felipe Orlando López-Pabón & Paula Andrea Pérez-Toro & Juan Rafael Orozco-Arroyave, 2022. "Classification of Poverty Condition Using Natural Language Processing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1413-1435, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:162:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-022-02883-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-022-02883-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-022-02883-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11205-022-02883-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beakcheol Jang & Inhwan Kim & Jong Wook Kim, 2019. "Word2vec convolutional neural networks for classification of news articles and tweets," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Sabina Alkire & James E. Foster & Suman Seth & Maria Emma Santos & Jose M. Roche & Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 7 - Data and Analysis," OPHI Working Papers 88, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    3. Alkire, Sabina & Foster, James & Seth, Suman & Santos, Maria Emma & Roche, Jose Manuel & Ballon, Paola, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199689491.
    4. Sabina Alkire, 2007. "The Missing Dimensions of Poverty Data: Introduction to the Special Issue," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 347-359.
    5. Sabina Alkire & James E. Foster & Suman Seth & Maria Emma Santos & Jose M. Roche & Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 2 - The Framework," OPHI Working Papers 83, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    6. Caterina Ruggeri Laderchi & Ruhi Saith & Frances Stewart, 2003. "Does it Matter that we do not Agree on the Definition of Poverty? A Comparison of Four Approaches," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 243-274.
    7. Ryan Engstrom & Jonathan Hersh & David Newhouse, 2022. "Poverty from Space: Using High Resolution Satellite Imagery for Estimating Economic Well-being," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 36(2), pages 382-412.
    8. World Bank, 2017. "Monitoring Global Poverty," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 25141.
    9. Sabina Alkire, 2007. "The Missing Dimensions of Poverty Data: An Introduction," OPHI Working Papers 0, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    10. Sabina Alkire, James E. Foster, Suman Seth, Maria Emma Santos, Jose M. Roche and Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 9 - Distribution and Dynamics," OPHI Working Papers ophiwp090_ch9.pdf, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    11. Sabina Alkire, James E. Foster, Suman Seth, Maria Emma Santos, José M. Roche and Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 7 - Data and Analysis," OPHI Working Papers ophiwp088_ch7.pdf, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    12. Nolan, Brian & Whelan, Christopher T., 2011. "Poverty and Deprivation in Europe," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199588435.
    13. Mario Biggeri & Marina Santi, 2012. "The Missing Dimensions of Children's Well-being and Well-becoming in Education Systems: Capabilities and Philosophy for Children," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 373-395, August.
    14. Sabina Alkire & James E. Foster & Suman Seth & Maria Emma Santos & Jose M. Roche & Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 9 - Distribution and Dynamics," OPHI Working Papers 90, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    15. Sabina Alkire, James E. Foster, Suman Seth, Maria Emma Santos, José M. Roche and Paola Ballon, 2015. "Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 2 - The Framework," OPHI Working Papers ophiwp083_ch2.pdf, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicolai Suppa, 2021. "Walls of glass. Measuring deprivation in social participation," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(2), pages 385-411, June.
    2. Alkire, Sabina & Oldiges, Christian & Kanagaratnam, Usha, 2021. "Examining multidimensional poverty reduction in India 2005/6–2015/16: Insights and oversights of the headcount ratio," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Hernando Grueso, 2023. "Unveiling the Causal Mechanisms Within Multidimensional Poverty," Evaluation Review, , vol. 47(6), pages 1107-1134, December.
    4. Hai‐Anh H. Dang, 2021. "To impute or not to impute, and how? A review of poverty‐estimation methods in the absence of consumption data," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(6), pages 1008-1030, November.
    5. Ricz, Judit & Deák, Ágnes, 2022. "A többdimenziós szegénység mérése - latin-amerikai tapasztalatok [Measurement of multidimensional poverty: Latin American experiences]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(3), pages 389-412.
    6. Julien Hanoteau, 2023. "Do foreign MNEs alleviate multidimensional poverty in developing countries?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(4), pages 719-749, December.
    7. Andrea Brandolini & John Micklewright, 2020. "Tony Atkinson’s new book, Measuring Poverty Around the World. Some further reflections," Working Papers 518, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    8. Sulaimon, Mubaraq Dele, 2020. "Multidimensional poverty and its determinants: Empirical evidence from Nigeria," MPRA Paper 101842, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Ali Akbar Barati & Milad Zhoolideh & Mostafa Moradi & Eydieh Sohrabi Mollayousef & Christine Fürst, 2022. "Multidimensional poverty and livelihood strategies in rural Iran," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12963-12993, November.
    10. Khaufelo Raymond Lekobane, 2022. "Does it matter which poverty measure we use to identify those left behind? Investigating poverty mismatch and overlap for Botswana," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 24(1), pages 171-196, June.
    11. Deniz Sevinc, 2020. "How Poor is Poor? A novel look at multidimensional poverty in the UK," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 833-859, June.
    12. Christopher T. Whelan & Dorothy Watson & Bertrand Maître, 2019. "From Income Poverty to Multidimensional Quality of Life," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 50(4), pages 683-705.
    13. Peter Saunders, 2018. "Monitoring and addressing global poverty: A new approach and implications for Australia," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 29(1), pages 9-23, March.
    14. Monica Pinilla-Roncancio & Amy E. Ritterbusch & Sharon Sanchez-Franco & Catalina González-Uribe & Sandra García-Jaramillo, 2021. "Conceptual Debates on Poverty Measurement: The Use of Qualitative Expert Consultation to Guide Methodological Decision-making in Designing a Multidimensional Child-Poverty Measure," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(6), pages 2449-2469, December.
    15. Pablo González & Kirsten Sehnbruch & Mauricio Apablaza & Rocío Méndez Pineda & Veronica Arriagada, 2021. "A Multidimensional Approach to Measuring Quality of Employment (QoE) Deprivation in Six Central American Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 107-141, November.
    16. Marcelino, Gésia Coutinho & Silva da Cunha, Marina, 2024. "Multidimensional poverty in Brazil: evidences for rural and urban areas," Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural (RESR), Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural, vol. 62(1), January.
    17. Adriana Stankiewicz Serra & Gaston Isaias Yalonetzky & Alexandre Gori Maia, 2021. "Multidimensional Poverty in Brazil in the Early 21st Century: Evidence from the Demographic Census," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 79-114, February.
    18. Christoph Bader & Sabin Bieri & Urs Wiesmann & Andreas Heinimann, 2016. "Differences Between Monetary and Multidimensional Poverty in the Lao PDR: Implications for Targeting of Poverty Reduction Policies and Interventions," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(2), pages 171-197, June.
    19. Bessell, Sharon & Siagian, Clara & Bexley, Angie, 2020. "Towards child-inclusive concepts of childhood poverty: The contribution and potential of research with children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    20. Dalila Rosa, 2022. "Are Italians Getting Multidimensionally Poorer? Evidence on the Lack of Equitable and Sustainable Well-Being," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(1), pages 145-174, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:162:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-022-02883-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.