On the plausibility transformation method for translating belief function models to probability models

In this paper, we propose the plausibility transformation method for translating Dempster-Shafer (D-S) belief function models to probability models, and describe sonic of its properties. There are many other transformation methods used in the literature for translating belief function models to probability models. We argue that the plausibility transformation method produces probability models that are consistent with D-S semantics of belief function models, and that, in some examples, the pignistic transformation method produces results that appear to be inconsistent with Dempster's rule of combination. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.