The Survivor Problem Continued: Introduction to Bayesian Model Selection

Abstract

This chapter provides a very brief introduction to Bayesian model selection. The “Survivor Problem” is expanded in this chapter, where the focus is now on comparing two models that predict how long a contestant will last in a game of Survivor: one model uses years of formal education as a predictor, and a second model uses grit as a predictor. Gibbs sampling is used for parameter estimation. Deviance Information Criterion (commonly abbreviated as DIC) is used as a guide for model selection. Details of how this measure is computed are described. The chapter also discusses model assessment (model fit) and Occam’s razor.