Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight

Abstract For high-dimensional datasets, outlier objects can be effectively identified and extracted with the help of the coupling relationship between any two attributes. However, when all the coupling is used directly, there is a phenomenon of pseudo-correlation between attribute values that result...

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Main Authors: Yijing Song, Jianying Liu, Jifu Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-04-01
Series:Complex & Intelligent Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-025-01869-x
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author Yijing Song
Jianying Liu
Jifu Zhang
author_facet Yijing Song
Jianying Liu
Jifu Zhang
author_sort Yijing Song
collection DOAJ
description Abstract For high-dimensional datasets, outlier objects can be effectively identified and extracted with the help of the coupling relationship between any two attributes. However, when all the coupling is used directly, there is a phenomenon of pseudo-correlation between attribute values that results in redundant coupling and affects the effectiveness of high-dimensional outlier detection. In this paper, a novel attribute group-based outlier detection approach for categorical data is proposed by using the attribute causal coupling weights to depict abnormal degree of the attributes. Firstly, according to the local and global correlation, all attributes are automatically divided into several groups, and all attributes in each group have a high correlation or association. Secondly, new concepts of causal pseudo-correlation are defined, and a case analysis that the pseudo-correlation is the main cause of attribute redundant coupling. By constructing attribute causality graph using the graph structure, the pseudo-correlation is effectively avoided in each attribute group. Thirdly, attribute causal coupling weight formula, which effectively characterizes the abnormal degree of attribute and reflects the causal coupling between any two attributes, is constructed from the causality graph. An attribute group-based outlier detection algorithm powered by causal coupling weight is proposed for categorical data. In the end, experimental results on the UCI and synthetic datasets validate that the algorithm has good outlier detection performance and effectively alleviates the effect of redundant coupling among attributes. Importantly, compared with the competitive methods, the algorithm bolsters the AUC index and the detection efficiency by averages of 10.97 and 42.84 $$\%$$ % , respectively.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2199-4536
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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spelling doaj-art-099d5e4d791a44cdaf2b9919ad26ed972025-08-20T03:48:02ZengSpringerComplex & Intelligent Systems2199-45362198-60532025-04-0111611710.1007/s40747-025-01869-xAttribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weightYijing Song0Jianying Liu1Jifu Zhang2School of Computer Science and Technology, Taiyuan University of Science and TechnologySchool of Computer Science and Technology, Taiyuan University of Science and TechnologySchool of Computer Science and Technology, Taiyuan University of Science and TechnologyAbstract For high-dimensional datasets, outlier objects can be effectively identified and extracted with the help of the coupling relationship between any two attributes. However, when all the coupling is used directly, there is a phenomenon of pseudo-correlation between attribute values that results in redundant coupling and affects the effectiveness of high-dimensional outlier detection. In this paper, a novel attribute group-based outlier detection approach for categorical data is proposed by using the attribute causal coupling weights to depict abnormal degree of the attributes. Firstly, according to the local and global correlation, all attributes are automatically divided into several groups, and all attributes in each group have a high correlation or association. Secondly, new concepts of causal pseudo-correlation are defined, and a case analysis that the pseudo-correlation is the main cause of attribute redundant coupling. By constructing attribute causality graph using the graph structure, the pseudo-correlation is effectively avoided in each attribute group. Thirdly, attribute causal coupling weight formula, which effectively characterizes the abnormal degree of attribute and reflects the causal coupling between any two attributes, is constructed from the causality graph. An attribute group-based outlier detection algorithm powered by causal coupling weight is proposed for categorical data. In the end, experimental results on the UCI and synthetic datasets validate that the algorithm has good outlier detection performance and effectively alleviates the effect of redundant coupling among attributes. Importantly, compared with the competitive methods, the algorithm bolsters the AUC index and the detection efficiency by averages of 10.97 and 42.84 $$\%$$ % , respectively.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-025-01869-xOutlier detectionAttribute groupingPseudo-correlationCausality graphAttribute coupling weights
spellingShingle Yijing Song
Jianying Liu
Jifu Zhang
Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
Complex & Intelligent Systems
Outlier detection
Attribute grouping
Pseudo-correlation
Causality graph
Attribute coupling weights
title Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
title_full Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
title_fullStr Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
title_full_unstemmed Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
title_short Attribute grouping-based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
title_sort attribute grouping based categorical outlier detection using causal coupling weight
topic Outlier detection
Attribute grouping
Pseudo-correlation
Causality graph
Attribute coupling weights
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-025-01869-x
work_keys_str_mv AT yijingsong attributegroupingbasedcategoricaloutlierdetectionusingcausalcouplingweight
AT jianyingliu attributegroupingbasedcategoricaloutlierdetectionusingcausalcouplingweight
AT jifuzhang attributegroupingbasedcategoricaloutlierdetectionusingcausalcouplingweight