It is increasingly common for analysts to seek out the opinions of individuals and organizations using attitudinal scales such as degree of satisfaction or importance attached to an issue. Examples include levels of obesity, seriousness of a health condition, attitudes towards service levels, opinions on products, voting intentions, and the degree of clarity of contracts. Ordered choice models provide a relevant methodology for capturing the sources of influence that explain the choice made amongst a set of ordered alternatives. The methods have evolved to a level of sophistication that can allow for heterogeneity in the threshold parameters, in the explanatory variables (through random parameters), and in the decomposition of the residual variance. This book brings together contributions in ordered choice modeling from a number of disciplines, synthesizing developments over the last fifty years, and suggests useful extensions to account for the wide range of sources of influence on choice.

We survey the literature on models for ordered choices, including ordered logit and probit specifications. The contemporary form of the model is presented and analyzed in detail. The historical development of the model is presented as well. We detail a number of generalizations that have appeared in the recent literature. Finally, we propose a new form of the model that accommodates in a natural, internally consistent form, functional form flexibility and individual heterogeneity. Much of this study is pedagogical. However, the last few sections propose new model formulations, and illustrate them with an application to self reported health satisfaction.

The Handbook of Choice Modelling, composed of contributions from senior figures in the field, summarizes the essential analytical techniques and discusses the key current research issues. The book opens with Nobel Laureate Daniel McFadden calling for d

This book describes the new generation of discrete choice methods, focusing on the many advances that are made possible by simulation. Researchers use these statistical methods to examine the choices that consumers, households, firms, and other agents make. Each of the major models is covered: logit, generalized extreme value, or GEV (including nested and cross-nested logits), probit, and mixed logit, plus a variety of specifications that build on these basics. Simulation-assisted estimation procedures are investigated and compared, including maximum stimulated likelihood, method of simulated moments, and method of simulated scores. Procedures for drawing from densities are described, including variance reduction techniques such as anithetics and Halton draws. Recent advances in Bayesian procedures are explored, including the use of the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and its variant Gibbs sampling. The second edition adds chapters on endogeneity and expectation-maximization (EM) algorithms. No other book incorporates all these fields, which have arisen in the past 25 years. The procedures are applicable in many fields, including energy, transportation, environmental studies, health, labor, and marketing.

A fully updated second edition of this popular introduction to applied choice analysis, written for graduate students, researchers, professionals and consultants.

Ordered Regression Models: Parallel, Partial, and Non-Parallel Alternatives presents regression models for ordinal outcomes, which are variables that have ordered categories but unknown spacing between the categories. The book provides comprehensive coverage of the three major classes of ordered regression models (cumulative, stage, and adjacent) as well as variations based on the application of the parallel regression assumption. The authors first introduce the three "parallel" ordered regression models before covering unconstrained partial, constrained partial, and nonparallel models. They then review existing tests for the parallel regression assumption, propose new variations of several tests, and discuss important practical concerns related to tests of the parallel regression assumption. The book also describes extensions of ordered regression models, including heterogeneous choice models, multilevel ordered models, and the Bayesian approach to ordered regression models. Some chapters include brief examples using Stata and R. This book offers a conceptual framework for understanding ordered regression models based on the probability of interest and the application of the parallel regression assumption. It demonstrates the usefulness of numerous modeling alternatives, showing you how to select the most appropriate model given the type of ordinal outcome and restrictiveness of the parallel assumption for each variable. Web Resource More detailed examples are available on a supplementary website. The site also contains JAGS, R, and Stata codes to estimate the models along with syntax to reproduce the results.

Many problems in the social sciences are amenable to analysis using the analytical tools of logit and probit models. This book explains what ordered and multinomial models are and also shows how to apply them to analysing issues in the social sciences.