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Gaussian Transforms Modeling and the Estimation of Distributional Regression Functions

Richard Spady, Sami Stouli

arXiv 12 Nov 2020 · Econometrics · publishedEconometrica (2025) · 2 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2011.06416 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

We propose flexible Gaussian representations for conditional cumulative distribution functions and give a concave likelihood criterion for their estimation. Optimal representations satisfy the monotonicity property of conditional cumulative distribution functions, including in finite samples and under general misspecification. We use these representations to provide a unified framework for the flexible Maximum Likelihood estimation of conditional density, cumulative distribution, and quantile functions at parametric rate. Our formulation yields substantial simplifications and finite sample improvements over related methods. An empirical application to the gender wage gap in the United States illustrates our framework.

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71
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distinct cited
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Spady, R. H., and S. Stouli (2018) Dual Regression self1.00053100%
2Boyd, S. P., and L. Vandenberghe (2004) Convex Optimization0.8435560%
3Ramsay, J. O (1988) Monotone Regression Splines in Action0.84333100%
4Chernozhukov, V., I. Fernández-Val, and A. Galichon (2010) Quantile and Probability Curves Without Crossing0.73732100%
5Chernozhukov, V., I. Fernández-Val, and B. Melly (2013) Inference on Counterfactual Distributions0.73732100%
6Matzkin, R (2003) Nonparametric Estimation of Nonadditive Random Functions0.71411436%
7Newey, W. K., and D. McFadden (1994) Large Sample Estimation and Hypothesis Testing0.67513431%
8Akaike, H (1973) Information Theory and an Extension of the Maximum Likelihood Principle0.64422100%
9Curry, H. B., and I. J. Schoenberg (1966) On Polya Frequency Functions IV: The Fundamental Spline Functions and Their Limits0.64422100%
10Glad, I. K., N. L. Hjort, and N. G. Ushakov (2003) Correction of Density Estimators That Are Not Densities0.64422100%

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Cited by, within the corpus

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5A Synthetic Control Approach to Conditional Distributional Treatment Effects0.40511