Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hjort, Nils Lid, McKeague, Ian W., Van Keilegom, Ingrid
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.18651
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866911461181227008
author Hjort, Nils Lid
McKeague, Ian W.
Van Keilegom, Ingrid
author_facet Hjort, Nils Lid
McKeague, Ian W.
Van Keilegom, Ingrid
contents This paper develops a hybrid likelihood (HL) method based on a compromise between parametric and nonparametric likelihoods. Consider the setting of a parametric model for the distribution of an observation $Y$ with parameter $θ$. Suppose there is also an estimating function $m(\cdot,μ)$ identifying another parameter $μ$ via $E\,m(Y,μ)=0$, at the outset defined independently of the parametric model. To borrow strength from the parametric model while obtaining a degree of robustness from the empirical likelihood method, we formulate inference about $θ$ in terms of the hybrid likelihood function $H_n(θ)=L_n(θ)^{1-a}R_n(μ(θ))^a$. Here $a\in[0,1)$ represents the extent of the compromise, $L_n$ is the ordinary parametric likelihood for $θ$, $R_n$ is the empirical likelihood function, and $μ$ is considered through the lens of the parametric model. We establish asymptotic normality of the corresponding HL estimator and a version of the Wilks theorem. We also examine extensions of these results under misspecification of the parametric model, and propose methods for selecting the balance parameter $a$.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_18651
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hybrid combinations of parametric and empirical likelihoods
Hjort, Nils Lid
McKeague, Ian W.
Van Keilegom, Ingrid
Methodology
This paper develops a hybrid likelihood (HL) method based on a compromise between parametric and nonparametric likelihoods. Consider the setting of a parametric model for the distribution of an observation $Y$ with parameter $θ$. Suppose there is also an estimating function $m(\cdot,μ)$ identifying another parameter $μ$ via $E\,m(Y,μ)=0$, at the outset defined independently of the parametric model. To borrow strength from the parametric model while obtaining a degree of robustness from the empirical likelihood method, we formulate inference about $θ$ in terms of the hybrid likelihood function $H_n(θ)=L_n(θ)^{1-a}R_n(μ(θ))^a$. Here $a\in[0,1)$ represents the extent of the compromise, $L_n$ is the ordinary parametric likelihood for $θ$, $R_n$ is the empirical likelihood function, and $μ$ is considered through the lens of the parametric model. We establish asymptotic normality of the corresponding HL estimator and a version of the Wilks theorem. We also examine extensions of these results under misspecification of the parametric model, and propose methods for selecting the balance parameter $a$.
title Hybrid combinations of parametric and empirical likelihoods
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.18651