The consensus of subjective probability distributions

Citation
L. Winkler, Robert, The consensus of subjective probability distributions, Management science , 15(2, Applica), 1968, pp. B61-B75
Journal title
ISSN journal
00251909
Volume
15
Issue
2, Applica
Year of publication
1968
Pages
B61 - B75
Database
ACNP
SICI code
Abstract
In the Bayesian framework, quantified judgments about uncertainty are an indispensable input to methods of statistical inference and decision. If a decision maker has little knowledge with regard to the parameters of interest, he may decide to consult a number of experts and obtain their quantified judgments in the form of subjective probability distributions. If this is the case, the decision maker must somehow combine the distributions assessed by the experts and form a single distribution to be used as an input to a formal Bayesian analysis. Several methods for combining the distributions are suggested, some involving mathematical formulae and some involving feedback and/or group discussion. These methods are compared under certain assumptions regarding the form of the distributions and also under experimental conditions.