Looking for the most suitable distance for binary clustering

  • #1
Frank Einstein
170
1
TL;DR Summary
I have a set of data of people loading into a server and I must find the most adequate distance to cluster them.
Hello everyone.

I have a pandas dataset in python which has n+1 columns and t rows. The first column is a timestamp that goes second by second during a time interval, and the other columns are the names of the people who log in the server. The t rows of the other columns indicate if the person is logged with an "1" and a "0" if the person isn't logged in the exact second.

I have used a Hierarchical clustering with Hamming distance and linkage average.

However, I am not sure if the Hamming distance is the most suitable measure to calculate the clustering between the users, specially after reading this article in which a comparison between 76 distances is defined.

I am not an expert in clustering, so I would like to know what other people think that would be the most adequate distance measure to group the users.

As far as I know, positive and negative matches are important in this case, so the Sokal Michenner distance might be suitable?

Any recomendation is welcome.
Best regards an thanks for reading.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I think it would help to start by explaining why you are clustering users. A metric's suitability is defined by what your end objective is.
 

Similar threads

  • Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
Replies
2
Views
620
  • Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
Replies
2
Views
443
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
2
Replies
54
Views
3K
  • General Math
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
31
Views
2K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
587
  • Math Proof Training and Practice
2
Replies
38
Views
6K
  • Math Proof Training and Practice
2
Replies
67
Views
10K
Back
Top