Analysis of cross classified data by AIC

Summary The purpose of the present paper is to propose a simple but practically useful procedure for the analysis of multidimensional contingency tables of survey data. By the procedure we can determine the predictor on which a specific variable has the strongest dependence and also the optimal combination of predictors. The procedure is very simply realized by the search for the minimum of the statistic AIC within a set of models proposed in this paper. The practical utility of the procedure is demonstrated by the results of some successful applications to the analysis of the survey data of the Japanese national character. The difference between the present procedure and the conventional test procedure is briefly discussed. The Institute of Statistical Mathematics