Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

An information processing method for an information processing apparatus having one or more processors that test independence among a multiplicity of variables in a data set, comprising:

• executing a test for conditional independence between two variables in a graphical model to be displayed on a display device,
• wherein the two variables are at least not independent in a case where a condition variable serving as a condition for independence between the two variables is provided on a path among a plurality of paths between the two variables,
• wherein the independence between the two variables is adopted when an index value of the test for conditional independence is greater than a threshold value, wherein the index value is based on a joint probability estimated for the two variables and the condition variable;
• and
• determining whether or not a V-shaped structure is present on one or more paths among the plurality of paths between the two variables,
• wherein the V-shaped structure is a graph structure in which first and second variables are independent of each other and not independent of a third variable,
• wherein the one or more paths correspond to a number of a set of condition variables which is incremented up to a predetermined number, and
• wherein the test for conditional independence between the two variables is not executed in a case where the condition variable is provided on the one or more paths determined to have the V-shaped structure.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, a set of computer-executable instructions executed by one or more processors of an information processing apparatus for causing the one or more processors to execute a process for testing independence among a multiplicity of variables in a data set, the process comprising:

• executing a test for conditional independence between two variables in a graphical model to be displayed on a display device, wherein the two variables are at least not independent in a case where a condition variable serving as a condition for independence between the two variables is provided on a path among a plurality of paths between the two variables,
• wherein the independence between the two variables is adopted when an index value of the test for conditional independence is greater than a threshold value, wherein the index value is based on a joint probability estimated for the two variables and the condition variable;
• and
• determining whether or not a V-shaped structure is present on one or more paths among the plurality of paths between the two variables,
• wherein the V-shaped structure is a graph structure in which first and second variables are independent of each other and not independent of a third variable,
• wherein the one or more paths correspond to a number of a set of condition variables which is incremented up to a predetermined number, and
• wherein the test for conditional independence between the two variables is not executed in a case where the condition variable is provided on the one or more paths determined to have the V-shaped structure.