In
statistics, reification is the use of an idealized model of a statistical process. The model is then used to make
inference
Inferences are steps in reasoning, moving from premises to logical consequences; etymologically, the word '' infer'' means to "carry forward". Inference is theoretically traditionally divided into deduction and induction, a distinction that ...
s connecting model results, which imperfectly represent the actual process, with experimental observations.
Also,
[Everitt,2002] a process whereby model-derived quantities such as
principal components,
factors
Factor, a Latin word meaning "who/which acts", may refer to:
Commerce
* Factor (agent), a person who acts for, notably a mercantile and colonial agent
* Factor (Scotland), a person or firm managing a Scottish estate
* Factors of production, suc ...
and
latent variable
In statistics, latent variables (from Latin: present participle of ''lateo'', “lie hidden”) are variables that can only be inferred indirectly through a mathematical model from other observable variables that can be directly observed or me ...
s are identified, named and treated as if they were directly measurable quantities.
Notes
References
* Everitt, B.S. (2002) Cambridge Dictionary of Statistics (2nd Edition), CUP.
Multivariate statistics
Statistical models
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