CHAPTER 3: CENTRAL TENDENCY

Reference: Gravetter, F.J. & Wallnau,

L.B. (2009). Statistics for the Behavioral
Sciences. USA: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning.
• A goal in central tendency is to find the single
score that is most typical or representative of
the group.
• It allows researchers to describe or present a
set of data in a very simplified, concise form.
• It is possible to compare two (or more) sets of
data by simply comparing the average score
(central tendency) for one set versus the
average score for another set.
•There may be problems defining the
center.

•We then develop 3 methods for

measuring central tendency: mean,
median, mode
 The Mean
• The mean is the most commonly used
measure of central tendency.
• Computation of the mean requires scores that
are numerical values measured on an interval
or ratio scale.
• The mean is obtained by computing the sum,
or total, for the entire set of scores, then
dividing this sum by the number of scores.
 The Mean (cont.)
Conceptually, the mean can also be defined as:
1. The mean is the amount that each individual receives
when the total (ΣX) is divided equally among all N
individuals.
2. The mean is the balance point of the distribution
because the sum of the distances below the mean is
exactly equal to the sum of the distances above the
mean.
 The Weighted Mean
• It may also be necessary to combine two sets
of scores and then find the overall mean for
the combined group.
• What will be the new mean if we combine a
sample of n=6 scores with a mean of M=40
and a sample of n=8 scores with a mean of
M=38?
• The sample with the greater n contributes
more to the group and carries more weight.
Computing the mean from a frequency
distribution table
Quiz Score (x) f
10 1
9 2
8 4
7 0
6 1

1. Get fx.
2. Sum fx.
3. Divide sum by f.
 Characteristics of the Mean
• Changing a score: Changing the value of any
score will change the mean.
• Introducing/Removing a new score: If you
add or take away a score, you will change
both summation of x and n. The exception is
when the new score is exactly equal to the
mean.
 Characteristics of the Mean
• Adding or subtracting a constant from each
score: If a constant value is added to every
score in a distribution, the same constant will
be added to the mean.
• Multiplying or dividing each score by a
constant: If every score is multiplied by or
divided by a constant value, the mean will
change in the same way.
 Example
• Find ΣX and M for both samples.
• What constant was added from sample A to
B? How did it affect the mean?
PARTICIPANT A B
A 4 6
B 2 4
C 3 5
D 3 5
E 2 4
F 3 5
 When the Mean Won’t Work
• Although the mean is the most commonly used
measure of central tendency, there are situations
where the mean does not provide a good,
representative value, and there are situations where
you cannot compute a mean at all.
• When a distribution contains a few extreme scores
(or is very skewed), the mean will be pulled toward
the extremes (displaced toward the tail). In this
case, the mean will not provide a "central" value.
 When the Mean Won’t Work (cont.)
• With data from a nominal scale it is impossible
to compute a mean, and when data are
measured on an ordinal scale (ranks), it is
usually inappropriate to compute a mean.
• Thus, the mean does not always work as a
measure of central tendency and it is
necessary to have alternative procedures
available.
 EXERCISES
• Find the weighted mean for the following:
a. μ= 60, N= 12; μ= 40, N=30; μ =50, N=60
• The following represent the scores of 10
students on tests from 3 different subjects.
Find the mean for each test.
– Math: 18 24 17 12 21 16 20 15 19 14
– English: 18 16 22 20 18 19 18 18 16 10
– Filipino: 24 26 28 22 26 27 27 26 24 26
 The Median
• If the scores in a distribution are listed in order from
smallest to largest, the median is defined as the
midpoint of the list.
• The median divides the scores so that 50% of the
scores in the distribution have values that are equal
to or less than the median.
• Computation of the median requires scores that can
be placed in rank order (smallest to largest) and are
measured on an ordinal, interval, or ratio scale.
 The Median (cont.)
Usually, the median can be found by a simple
counting procedure:
1.With an odd number of scores, list the values
in order, and the median is the middle score in
the list.
2.With an even number of scores, list the values
in order, and the median is half-way between
the middle two scores.
 The Median
• What is the median for this set of scores?
– 3, 5, 8, 10, 11
• What about this?
– 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
 The Median (cont.)
• If the scores are measurements of a
continuous variable, it is possible to find the
median by first placing the scores in a
frequency distribution histogram with each
score represented by a box in the graph.
• Then, draw a vertical line through the
distribution so that exactly half the boxes are
on each side of the line. The median is
defined by the location of the line.
You can also compute for it using the
formula on p. 86.
 The Median (cont.)
• One advantage of the median is that it is
relatively unaffected by extreme scores.
• Thus, the median tends to stay in the "center"
of the distribution even when there are a few
extreme scores or when the distribution is
very skewed. In these situations, the median
serves as a good alternative to the mean.
• We also use the median for undetermined
values (e.g. Unfinished test) or open-ended
distributions.
• Compared to the mean, the median is more
compatible with the ordinal scale.
 The Mode
• The mode is defined as the most frequently
occurring category or score in the distribution.
• In a frequency distribution graph, the mode is the
category or score corresponding to the peak or high
point of the distribution.
• The mode can be determined for data measured on
any scale of measurement: nominal, ordinal,
interval, or ratio.
 The Mode (cont.)
• The primary value of the mode is that it is the
only measure of central tendency that can be
used for data measured on a nominal scale. In
addition, the mode often is used as a
supplemental measure of central tendency
that is reported along with the mean or the
median.
 Bimodal Distributions
• It is possible for a distribution to have more than one
mode. Such a distribution is called bimodal. (Note
that a distribution can have only one mean and only
one median.)
• In addition, the term "mode" is often used to
describe a peak in a distribution that is not really the
highest point. Thus, a distribution may have a major
mode at the highest peak and a minor mode at a
secondary peak in a different location.
• The mode may be used for:
– nominal scales
– Discrete variables
– Describing shape
 Central Tendency and the
Shape of the Distribution
• Because the mean, the median, and the mode
are all measuring central tendency, the three
measures are often systematically related to
each other.
• In a symmetrical distribution, for example, the
mean and median will always be equal.
 Central Tendency and the
Shape of the Distribution (cont.)
• If a symmetrical distribution has only one
mode, the mode, mean, and median will all
have the same value.
• In a skewed distribution, the mode will be
located at the peak on one side and the mean
usually will be displaced toward the tail on the
other side.
• The median is usually located between the
mean and the mode.
 SEATWORK

1. Find the mean, median 2. Given the set of IQ scores,

and mode for each set of compute for μ and median.
scores. 98 115 122 99
a. 29 28 29 30 29 30 30 29
111 99 113 101
28 28
100 101 104 107
b. 24 32 29 23 22 24 30 29
30 24 108 103 95 89

What can you say about the 96 114 116 113

shape of the distribution? 103 90 102 100