Types of Chi-Square test
There are several types of chi-square tests, each designed to address specific research questions or scenarios. The two main types are the chi-square test for independence and the chi-square goodness-of-fit test.
- Chi-Square Test for Independence: This test assesses whether there is a significant association or relationship between two categorical variables. It is used to determine whether changes in one variable are independent of changes in another. This test is applied when we have counts of values for two nominal or categorical variables. To conduct this test, two requirements must be met:
independence of observations and a relatively large sample size.
For example, suppose we are interested in exploring whether there is a relationship between online shopping preferences and the payment methods people choose. The first variable is the type of online shopping preference (e.g., Electronics, Clothing, Books), and the second variable is the chosen payment method (e.g., Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal).
The null hypothesis in this case would be that the choice of online shopping preference and the selected payment method are independent. - Chi-Square Goodness-of-Fit Test: The Chi-Square Goodness-of-Fit test is used in statistical hypothesis testing to ascertain whether a variable is likely from a given distribution or not. This test can be applied in situations when we have value counts for categorical variables. With the help of this test, we can determine whether the data values are a representative sample of the entire population or if they fit our hypothesis well.
For example, imagine you are testing the fairness of a six-sided die. The null hypothesis is that each face of the die should have an equal probability of landing face up. In other words, the die is unbiased, and the proportions of each number (1 through 6) occurring are expected to be equal.
Chi-square test in Machine Learning
Chi-Square test is a statistical method crucial for analyzing associations in categorical data. Its applications span various fields, aiding researchers in understanding relationships between factors. This article elucidates Chi-Square types, steps for implementation, and its role in feature selection, exemplified through Python code on the Iris dataset.
Table of Content
- What is Chi-Square test?
- Types of Chi-Square test
- Why do we use the Chi-Square Test?
- Steps to perform Chi-square test
- Chi-square Test for Feature Selection
- Python Implementation of Chi-Square feature selection