A new method is used to model the class probability from data that is based on
a novel multiplicative adjustment of the class probability by a plurality of items
of evidence induced from training data. The optimal adjustment factors from each
item of evidence can be determined by several techniques, a preferred embodiment
thereof being the method of maximum likelihood. The evidence induced from the data
can be any function of the feature variables, the simplest of which are the individual
feature variables themselves. The adjustment factor of an item of evidence Ej
is given by the ratio of the conditional probability P(C|Ej) of the
class C given Ej to the prior class probability P(C), exponentiated
by a parameter aj. The method provides a new and useful way to aggregate
probabilistic evidence so that the final model output exhibits a low error rate
for classification, and also gives a superior lift curve when distinguishing between
any one class and the remaining classes. A good prediction for the class response
probability has many uses in data mining applications, such as using the probability
to compute expected values of any function associated with the response, and in
many marketing applications where lift curves are generated for selected prioritized
target customers.