Baselinemuuttujaa

Baselinemuuttujaa, often translated as "baseline variable" or "reference variable" in English, is a concept primarily used in statistical analysis and research, particularly in fields like econometrics, psychology, and social sciences. It refers to a categorical variable that is chosen as a point of comparison when analyzing the effects of other variables. In regression analysis, for instance, one category of a categorical predictor is designated as the baseline.

The purpose of a baselinemuuttujaa is to provide a standard against which the effects of other categories within the same variable can be measured. When a model is estimated, the coefficients associated with the other categories represent the estimated difference in the outcome variable compared to the baseline category, holding all other variables constant. For example, if "male" is chosen as the baseline gender category in a study examining income, the coefficient for "female" would indicate the average difference in income between females and males.

The selection of a baseline category is often arbitrary, but it can be guided by theoretical considerations or practical convenience. Researchers might choose a category that is most common, represents a neutral or default state, or is of particular theoretical interest. It is crucial for the interpretation of model results that the baseline category is clearly identified and understood. Changing the baseline category will change the estimated coefficients for the other categories, but it will not alter the overall fit of the model or the predicted values. The significance of the comparison between any two categories remains the same regardless of which is chosen as the baseline.