Updating a discriminant function on the basis of unclassified data

Abstract

The problem of updating a discriminant function on the basis of data of unknown origin is studied. There are observations of known origin from each of the underlying populations, and subsequently there is available a limited number of unclassified observations assumed to have been drawn from a mixture of the underlying populations. A sample discriminant function can be formed initially from the classified data. The question of whether the subsequent updating of this discriminant function on the basis of the unclassified data produces a reduction in the error rate of sufficient magnitude to warrant the computational effort is considered by carrying out a series of Monte Carlo experiments. The simulation results are contrasted with available asymptotic results.