Neyman-Pearson Classification under Both Null and Alternative Distributions Shift

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kalan, Mohammadreza M., Deng, Yuyang, Neugut, Eitan J., Kpotufe, Samory
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Kalan, Mohammadreza M.
Deng, Yuyang
Neugut, Eitan J.
Kpotufe, Samory
author_facet Kalan, Mohammadreza M.
Deng, Yuyang
Neugut, Eitan J.
Kpotufe, Samory
contents We consider the problem of transfer learning in Neyman-Pearson classification, where the objective is to minimize the error w.r.t. a distribution $μ_1$, subject to the constraint that the error w.r.t. a distribution $μ_0$ remains below a prescribed threshold. While transfer learning has been extensively studied in traditional classification, transfer learning in imbalanced classification such as Neyman-Pearson classification has received much less attention. This setting poses unique challenges, as both types of errors must be simultaneously controlled. Existing works address only the case of distribution shift in $μ_1$, whereas in many practical scenarios shifts may occur in both $μ_0$ and $μ_1$. We derive an adaptive procedure that not only guarantees improved Type-I and Type-II errors when the source is informative, but also automatically adapt to situations where the source is uninformative, thereby avoiding negative transfer. In addition to such statistical guarantees, the procedures is efficient, as shown via complementary computational guarantees.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_06641
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Neyman-Pearson Classification under Both Null and Alternative Distributions Shift
Kalan, Mohammadreza M.
Deng, Yuyang
Neugut, Eitan J.
Kpotufe, Samory
Machine Learning
We consider the problem of transfer learning in Neyman-Pearson classification, where the objective is to minimize the error w.r.t. a distribution $μ_1$, subject to the constraint that the error w.r.t. a distribution $μ_0$ remains below a prescribed threshold. While transfer learning has been extensively studied in traditional classification, transfer learning in imbalanced classification such as Neyman-Pearson classification has received much less attention. This setting poses unique challenges, as both types of errors must be simultaneously controlled. Existing works address only the case of distribution shift in $μ_1$, whereas in many practical scenarios shifts may occur in both $μ_0$ and $μ_1$. We derive an adaptive procedure that not only guarantees improved Type-I and Type-II errors when the source is informative, but also automatically adapt to situations where the source is uninformative, thereby avoiding negative transfer. In addition to such statistical guarantees, the procedures is efficient, as shown via complementary computational guarantees.
title Neyman-Pearson Classification under Both Null and Alternative Distributions Shift
topic Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.06641