Cited by 340Neural Networks and ApplicationsStochastic Gradient Optimization TechniquesAdvanced Neural Network Applications

The dropout learning algorithm

Open access
Baldi, Pierre, Sadowski, Peter·2014·Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Dropout is a recently introduced algorithm for training neural network by randomly dropping units during training to prevent their co-adaptation. A mathematical analysis of some of the static and dynamic properties of dropout is provided using Bernoulli gating variables, general enough to accommodate dropout on units or connections, and with variable rates. The framework allows a complete analysis of the ensemble averaging properties of dropout in linear networks, which is useful to understand the non-linear case. The ensemble averaging properties of dropout in non-linear logistic networks result from three fundamental equations: (1) the approximation of the expectations of logistic functions by normalized geometric means, for which bounds and estimates are derived; (2) the algebraic equality between normalized geometric means of logistic functions with the logistic of the means, which mathematically characterizes logistic functions; and (3) the linearity of the means with respect to sums, as well as products of independent variables. The results are also extended to other classes of transfer functions, including rectified linear functions. Approximation errors tend to cancel each other and do not accumulate. Dropout can also be connected to stochastic neurons and used to predict firing rates, and to backpropagation by viewing the backward propagation as ensemble averaging in a dropout linear network. Moreover, the convergence properties of dropout can be understood in terms of stochastic gradient descent. Finally, for the regularization properties of dropout, the expectation of the dropout gradient is the gradient of the corresponding approximation ensemble, regularized by an adaptive weight decay term with a propensity for self-consistent variance minimization and sparse representations.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.artint.2014.02.004

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  • The regularization effect of ModDrop is adaptive to the magnitude of the weights: it is strong in the mid-range of weights, plays a less significant role when weights are small, and gradually weakens with saturation.

    “As a result, it is strong in the mid-range of weights, plays a less significant role when weights are small and gradually weakens with saturation.”

    From ModDrop: Adaptive Multi-Modal Gesture Recognition (2016) · cites this paper as [52]

    Section 11.4 describes dropout regularization as adaptive and says its sigmoid-derivative component approaches zero near saturation. It does not discuss ModDrop or state that regularization is strongest for mid-range weights and less significant for small weights. The section also says regularization is maximal at the beginning of learning, so the claimed weight-range pattern is not established by this source. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The weighted normalized geometric mean of per-model outputs approximates the arithmetic mean better than the geometric mean, and the quality of this approximation depends on consistency in neuron activation.

    “It has been shown though [52], that in dropout-like [53] systems activation units of complete models produce a weighted normalized geometric mean of per-model outputs.”

    From ModDrop: Adaptive Multi-Modal Gesture Recognition (2016) · cites this paper as [52]

  • The multiplier proportional to the derivative of the sigmoid activation makes the regularization effect adaptive to the magnitude of the weights.

    “Finally, as has been shown by [52] for dropout, the multiplier proportional to the derivative of the sigmoid activation makes the regularization effect adaptive to the magnitude of the weights.”

    From ModDrop: Adaptive Multi-Modal Gesture Recognition (2016) · cites this paper as [52]

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2 of the 50 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [11]Beckenbach EF Bellman R Inequalities 1965 Springer-Verlag Berlin
  2. [23]Duda RO Hart PE Stork DG 2000 Wiley New York, NY Second Edition.
  3. [31]Mercer AM Improved upper and lower bounds for the difference an- gn. Journal of Mathematics 2001 31 2
  4. [39]Rockafellar RT Convex analysis 1997 28 Princeton University Press

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Authors
Baldi, P., & Sadowski, P.
Affiliations
University of California, Irvine (US)
Corresponding author
Baldi, Pierre
Venue
Artificial Intelligence
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-05
Volume
210
Pages
78-122
ISSN
0004-3702 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2164370980
Cited by
340
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 1
FWCI
21.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Artificial Intelligence (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • NSF (IIS-0513376, NSF-IIS-1321053)
  • NIH (LM010235)
  • NIH NLM (T15 LM07443)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Neural Networks and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Stochastic Gradient Optimization Techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Advanced Neural Network Applications
Keywords
dropout, neural network training, ensemble averaging, logistic function, rectified linear units, stochastic neurons, stochastic gradient descent, regularization, weight decay, sparse representation, variance minimization, co-adaptation

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