Prior Density Selection as a Particular Case of Bayesian Model Selection: A Predictive Approach

Abstract

A Bayesian model consists of two elements: a sampling model and a prior density. The problem of selecting a prior density is nothing but the problem of selecting a Bayesian model where the sampling model is fixed. A predictive approach is used through a decision problem where the loss function is the squared L 2 distance between the sampling density and the posterior predictive density, because the aim of the method is to choose the prior that provides a posterior predictive density as good as possible. An algorithm is developed for solving the problem; this algorithm is based on Lavine's linearization technique.