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Rate of convergence of predictive distributions for dependent data

Abstract

This paper deals with empirical processes of the type \[C_n(B)=\sqrt{n}\{\mu_n(B)-P(X_{n+1}\in B\mid X_1,...,X_n)\},\] where (Xn)(X_n) is a sequence of random variables and μn=(1/n)i=1nδXi\mu_n=(1/n)\sum_{i=1}^n\delta_{X_i} the empirical measure. Conditions for supBCn(B)\sup_B|C_n(B)| to converge stably (in particular, in distribution) are given, where BB ranges over a suitable class of measurable sets. These conditions apply when (Xn)(X_n) is exchangeable or, more generally, conditionally identically distributed (in the sense of Berti et al. [Ann. Probab. 32 (2004) 2029--2052]). By such conditions, in some relevant situations, one obtains that supBCn(B)P0\sup_B|C_n(B)|\stackrel{P}{\to}0 or even that nsupBCn(B)\sqrt{n}\sup_B|C_n(B)| converges a.s. Results of this type are useful in Bayesian statistics.

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