A Data Feature Extraction Method Based on the NOTEARS Causal Inference Algorithm

Abstract

Extracting effective features from high-dimensional datasets is crucial for determining the accuracy of regression and classification models. Model predictions based on causality are known for their robustness. Thus, this paper introduces causality into feature selection and utilizes Feature Selection based on NOTEARS causal discovery (FSNT) for effective feature extraction. This method transforms the structural learning algorithm into a numerical optimization problem, enabling the rapid identification of the globally optimal causality diagram between features and the target variable. To assess the effectiveness of the FSNT algorithm, this paper evaluates its performance by employing 10 regression algorithms and 8 classification algorithms for regression and classification predictions on six real datasets from diverse fields. These results are then compared with three mainstream feature selection algorithms. The results indicate a significant average decline of 54.02% in regression prediction achieved by the FSNT algorithm. Furthermore, the algorithm exhibits exceptional performance in classification prediction, leading to an enhancement in the precision value. These findings highlight the effectiveness of FSNT in eliminating redundant features and significantly improving the accuracy of model predictions.