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Auteurs principaux: Briscoe, Jarren, Kepler, Garrett, Deford, Daryl, Gebremedhin, Assefaw
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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Accès en ligne:https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03992
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author Briscoe, Jarren
Kepler, Garrett
Deford, Daryl
Gebremedhin, Assefaw
author_facet Briscoe, Jarren
Kepler, Garrett
Deford, Daryl
Gebremedhin, Assefaw
contents Evaluating machine learning models is crucial not only for determining their technical accuracy but also for assessing their potential societal implications. While the potential for low-sample-size bias in algorithms is well known, we demonstrate the significance of sample-size bias induced by combinatorics in classification metrics. This revelation challenges the efficacy of these metrics in assessing bias with high resolution, especially when comparing groups of disparate sizes, which frequently arise in social applications. We provide analyses of the bias that appears in several commonly applied metrics and propose a model-agnostic assessment and correction technique. Additionally, we analyze counts of undefined cases in metric calculations, which can lead to misleading evaluations if improperly handled. This work illuminates the previously unrecognized challenge of combinatorics and probability in standard evaluation practices and thereby advances approaches for performing fair and trustworthy classification methods.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_03992
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Algorithmic Accountability in Small Data: Sample-Size-Induced Bias Within Classification Metrics
Briscoe, Jarren
Kepler, Garrett
Deford, Daryl
Gebremedhin, Assefaw
Machine Learning
Evaluating machine learning models is crucial not only for determining their technical accuracy but also for assessing their potential societal implications. While the potential for low-sample-size bias in algorithms is well known, we demonstrate the significance of sample-size bias induced by combinatorics in classification metrics. This revelation challenges the efficacy of these metrics in assessing bias with high resolution, especially when comparing groups of disparate sizes, which frequently arise in social applications. We provide analyses of the bias that appears in several commonly applied metrics and propose a model-agnostic assessment and correction technique. Additionally, we analyze counts of undefined cases in metric calculations, which can lead to misleading evaluations if improperly handled. This work illuminates the previously unrecognized challenge of combinatorics and probability in standard evaluation practices and thereby advances approaches for performing fair and trustworthy classification methods.
title Algorithmic Accountability in Small Data: Sample-Size-Induced Bias Within Classification Metrics
topic Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03992