Correlation Analysis in Classifiers

This chapter presents a new method to analyze the link between the probabilities produced by a classification model and the variation of its input values. The goal is to increase the predictive probability of a given class by exploring the possible values of the input variables taken independently. The proposed method is presented in a general framework, and then detailed for naive Bayesian classifiers. We also demonstrate the importance of “lever variables”, variables which can conceivably be acted upon to obtain specific results as represented by class probabilities, and consequently can be the target of specific policies. The application of the proposed method to several data sets shows that such an approach can lead to useful indicators.