So, either the NYT article is factually incorrect about the studies or else I just demonstrated what Dr. Gale said is impossible.
The Times made a big mistake. It's entirely possible that the median number of partners for men could be three or four times the median for women. I saved that article to use in class when I explain how important it is to know some statistics if you want to understand the world.
Another good example comes from politics. When Republicans talk about economic progress, they usually refer to mean (average) family income. When Democrats talk about economic progress they usually talk about median family income. The reason is that if the thousand richest Americans each make an extra hundred billion or so, it raises the mean family income, but it has no effect on the median family income. If you want to increase mean family income, all you have to do is find a way for rich people to get richer. If you want to change median family income you have to put policies in place that benefit most Americans, not just the rich.
Both mean and median income are meaningful statistics. Both the Republicans and the Democrats are providing useful information. It's just that, if you understand statistics, you can figure out what is going on. If you don't, you are destined to be a victim of propaganda.
According to my statistics, in comparison to that article I am a ginormous slut.
That is fascinating, Rick.
In comparison to that article, I am a virgin. I should change my name to Bringing Down the Mean.
I should change my name to Bringing Down the Mean.
But not the Median! At least you have that.
Hey y'all. I spotted a bottle of Fernet at the liquor store and got all "we have to try this!" But now I don't know what to do with it. Also (tee hee) it turns out my friends already had an open bottle in the cabinet. How long does it keep for?
Any and all fernet advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks Rick! I've loved reading everyone's take on that.
Of course, I also wonder (and don't have the link to the article handy) if they're only asking heterosexual people? Or not counting same-sex partners? I mean, honestly. The gay men could bring up the median AND the average. (Not that I'm saying the lesbians *aren't* sleeping around, but hooboy, just a few of my gayboy friends could singlehandedly bring it up...). And of course if the boys were sleeping with each OTHER, that brings the boy numbers up without changing the girl numbers.
And if they AREN"T counting the gays...what about the bisexuals?? "Well, I've had four boys, and only two girls, so...I'll just put four on here..."
Yeah, that article doesn't make mathematical sense. I think that it's saying that the British data is mean, not median, so that data is suspect.
I saw (on Salon, I think) a response from that same guy, when asked about exactly that issue. He took some of the more broken-down data from the survey (it told what percentage of men and women reported 0-2 partners, what percentage reported 3-5, etc.), and said that the numbers still didn't work out with that data. That data isn't quite enough to be able to determine for sure, but it'll let you figure out a closer approximation of the mean.
According to my statistics, in comparison to that article I am a ginormous slut.
I am Robin.
I am Robin AND DJ! I'm extremely pretty and witty. (NSM with the gay lately, though.)
Hey y'all. I spotted a bottle of Fernet at the liquor store and got all "we have to try this!" But now I don't know what to do with it. Also (tee hee) it turns out my friends already had an open bottle in the cabinet. How long does it keep for?
It'll keep for a good long while, believe me. The SF way of drinking Fernet is to shoot it - you can have a ginger ale chaser if you need it. The Italian way is to sip it as a digestif (or as a cure when you're sick, especially when you're sick in the tummy). The Argentinian way is to drink it mixed with Coca-Cola.
