Model Comparisons Using Information Measures

Abstract

Methodologists have criticized the use of significance tests in the behavioral sciences but have failed to provide alternative data analysis strategies that appeal to applied researchers. For purposes of comparing alternate models for data, information-theoretic measures such as Akaike AIC have advantages in comparison with significance tests. Model-selection procedures based on a min(AIC) strategy, for example, are holistic rather than dependent upon a series of sometimes contradictory binary (accept/reject) decisions.