A Minimum Power Divergence Class of CDFs and Estimators for Binary Choice Models

The Cressie-Read (CR) family of power divergence measures is used to identify a new class of statistical models and estimators for competing explanations of the data in binary choice models. A large flexible class of cumulative distribution functions and associated probability density functions emerge that subsumes the conventional logit model, and forms the basis for a large set of estimation alternatives to traditional logit and probit methods. Asymptotic properties of estimators are identified, and sampling experiments are used to provide a basis for gauging the finite sample performance of the estimators in this new class of statistical models.