Mean, Median, and Shapes of Distributions Average Number of Lifetime Sexual Partners of Male College Students

Statistical Guide: A distribution of scores is said to be skewed to the right (i.e., positively skewed) when scores are concentrated near the low end of a distribution with a small number off to the right (toward the high end). The mean for a distribution that is skewed to the right is pulled up by the skew. A distribution of scores is said to be skewed to the left (i.e., negatively skewed) when scores are concentrated near the high end of a distribution with a small number off to the left (toward the low end). The mean for a distribution that is skewed to the left is pulled down by the skew. When a distribution is severely skewed, the mean may be an unrepresentative average. The median, in contrast, is unaffected by skewness.