[Rsiena-help] SIENA: rate function with large s.e.

[Philippe Sulger]

Dear RSiena-Users

I jointly analyze network dynamics and behavioral dynamics. Something 
that I am concerned about are the large standard errors on the estimate 
of the behavioral rate parameter. Here an example:

                                                   Estimate Standard   
Convergence
Error      t-ratio
Network Dynamics
    1. rate  basic rate parameter friends           7.8441  ( 1.3870  
)    0.0131
    2. eval  outdegree (density)                   -1.1287  ( 0.1991  
)   -0.0392
    3. eval  reciprocity                            1.8075  ( 1.1237  
)    0.0220
    4. endow reciprocity                           -1.7207  ( 1.9371  
)   -0.0050
    5. eval  balance                                0.2603  ( 0.0565  
)    0.0264
    6. eval  same covariate                         0.2877  ( 0.2220  
)    0.0135

Behavior Dynamics
    7. rate  rate behav period 1                   34.9277  ( 36.6589  
)   -0.0177
    8. eval  behavior behav linear shape           -0.0327  ( 0.0592  
)   -0.0194
    9. eval  behavior behav quadratic shape         0.0003  ( 0.0048  
)   -0.0220
   10. eval  behavior behav: effect from covariate -0.0096  ( 0.1383  
)   -0.0588

As you see, convergence is good. Even if I exclude the 10th effect 
(effect from gender, in many networks I get large s.e. for the rate on 
aggressive behavior). I also made the rate of behav dependent on 
covariates with no essential effect.

Are these large s.e.'s of concern?

Thanks for your help.

Best,
Philippe
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.r-forge.r-project.org/pipermail/rsiena-help/attachments/20120714/db9d2bba/attachment.html>