A method includes generating a ranking model and a baseline mixing weight for each latent user category from a plurality of latent user categories based on a community preference dataset and one or more latent variables that relate the users from the community of users to the latent user categories. The method also includes generating a personalized mixing weight for each latent user category for a specified user based on an individual preference dataset, the ranking models for the latent user category, and one or more latent variables that relate the specified user to the latent user categories. The method also includes adjusting the personalized mixing weight for each latent user category for the specified user based on the baseline mixing weights, and generating ranking output for at least some objects from the plurality of objects using the personalized mixing weights and the ranking models.