Proxy (statistics)
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{{Unreferenced|date=March 2007}}
In [[statistics]], a '''proxy''' variable is something that is probably not in itself of any great interest, but from which a variable of interest can be obtained. In order for this to be the case, the proxy variable must have a close [[correlation]], not necessarily linear or positive, with the inferred value.
==Examples==
Per-capita [[GDP]] is often used as a proxy for measures of [[standard of living]] or [[quality of life]].
When performing [[social]] collections, the [[gender]] of the respondent is an important variable. As gender commonly dictates how one responds. Most general collections, therefore, collect data on the respondent's [[sex]] and age, and that is used as a proxy for gender. In most general collections, the proportion of transsexual and transgendered individuals is low, making the correlation reasonably good.
Likewise, country of origin or birthplace might be used as a proxy for [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]].
==See Also==
*[[Instrumental variable]]
==References==
* {{cite journal | last = Trenkler | first = Götz | coauthors = Peter Stahlecker | title = Dropping variables versus use of proxy variables in linear regression | journal = Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference | volume = 50 | issue = 1 | pages = 65–75 | publisher = NORTH-HOLLAND | date = 1996 | doi = 10.1016/0378-3758(95)00045-3 }}
==See also==
* [[Proxy (climate)]]
[[Category:Statistical theory]]
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