Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model

In a recent study, it was demonstrated that the maximum simulated likelihood (MSL) estimator produces significant biases when applied to the bivariate normal and bivariate Poisson-lognormal models. The study’s conclusion suggests that similar biases could be present in other models generated by corr...

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Published in:Econometrics
Main Authors: Maksat Jumamyradov, Murat Munkin, William H. Greene, Benjamin M. Craig
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1146/12/2/8
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author Maksat Jumamyradov
Murat Munkin
William H. Greene
Benjamin M. Craig
author_facet Maksat Jumamyradov
Murat Munkin
William H. Greene
Benjamin M. Craig
author_sort Maksat Jumamyradov
collection DOAJ
container_title Econometrics
description In a recent study, it was demonstrated that the maximum simulated likelihood (MSL) estimator produces significant biases when applied to the bivariate normal and bivariate Poisson-lognormal models. The study’s conclusion suggests that similar biases could be present in other models generated by correlated bivariate normal structures, which include several commonly used specifications of the mixed logit (MIXL) models. This paper conducts a simulation study analyzing the MSL estimation of the error components (EC) MIXL. We find that the MSL estimator produces significant biases in the estimated parameters. The problem becomes worse when the true value of the variance parameter is small and the correlation parameter is large in magnitude. In some cases, the biases in the estimated marginal effects are as large as 12% of the true values. These biases are largely invariant to increases in the number of Halton draws.
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spelling doaj-art-ce32c834e2e64f0b97eddb3fea5c28382025-08-20T00:04:00ZengMDPI AGEconometrics2225-11462024-03-01122810.3390/econometrics12020008Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit ModelMaksat Jumamyradov0Murat Munkin1William H. Greene2Benjamin M. Craig3Department of Economics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USADepartment of Economics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USADepartment of Economics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USADepartment of Economics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USAIn a recent study, it was demonstrated that the maximum simulated likelihood (MSL) estimator produces significant biases when applied to the bivariate normal and bivariate Poisson-lognormal models. The study’s conclusion suggests that similar biases could be present in other models generated by correlated bivariate normal structures, which include several commonly used specifications of the mixed logit (MIXL) models. This paper conducts a simulation study analyzing the MSL estimation of the error components (EC) MIXL. We find that the MSL estimator produces significant biases in the estimated parameters. The problem becomes worse when the true value of the variance parameter is small and the correlation parameter is large in magnitude. In some cases, the biases in the estimated marginal effects are as large as 12% of the true values. These biases are largely invariant to increases in the number of Halton draws.https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1146/12/2/8maximum simulated likelihoodmixed logitdiscrete choice models
spellingShingle Maksat Jumamyradov
Murat Munkin
William H. Greene
Benjamin M. Craig
Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
maximum simulated likelihood
mixed logit
discrete choice models
title Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
title_full Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
title_fullStr Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
title_full_unstemmed Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
title_short Biases in the Maximum Simulated Likelihood Estimation of the Mixed Logit Model
title_sort biases in the maximum simulated likelihood estimation of the mixed logit model
topic maximum simulated likelihood
mixed logit
discrete choice models
url https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1146/12/2/8
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