Modified-likelihood estimation of fixed-effect model for dyadic data

Résumé

We consider point estimation and inference based on modifications of the profile likelihood in models for dyadic interactions between n agents featuring agent-specific parameters. The maximum-likelihood estimator of such models has bias and standard deviation of order n-1 and so is asymptotically biased. Estimation based on modified likelihoods leads to estimators that are asymptotically unbiased and likelihood ratio tests that exhibit correct size.