ConvexLAR: An Extension of Least Angle Regression

Abstract

The least angle regression (LAR) was proposed by Efron, Hastie, Johnstone and Tibshirani in the year 2004 for continuous model selection in linear regression. It is motivated by a geometric argument and tracks a path along which the predictors enter successively and the active predictors always maintain the same absolute correlation (angle) with the residual vector. Although it gains popularity quickly, its extensions seem rare compared to the penalty methods. In this expository article, we show that the powerful geometric idea of LAR can be generalized in a fruitful way. We propose a ConvexLAR algorithm that works for any convex loss function and naturally extends to group selection and data adaptive variable selection. After simple modification, it also yields new exact path algorithms for certain penalty methods such as a convex loss function with lasso or group lasso penalty. Variable selection in recurrent event and panel count data analysis, Ada-Boost, and Gaussian graphical model is reconsidered from the ConvexLAR angle. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.