http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/...x.1-113328.php
this article focuses on the interesting observation that "it is logically impossible for the mean number of partners for men to be different from the mean for women in any given population with equal numbers of heterosexual men and women
although the mean, or mathematical average, can differ from the median, the middle point of a range. Surveys typically report the median"
But it also quotes two surverys about the average number of a persons sexual partners through his/her lifetime.
"One survey, recently reported by the U.S. government, concluded that men had a median of seven female sex partners. Women had a median of four male sex partners. Another study, by British researchers, stated that men had 12.7 heterosexual partners in their lifetimes and women had 6.5."
for those who can't read more than 3 lines text:
US Survey:
average number of sexual partners for men/women = 7/4
UK Survey:
average number of sexual partners for men/women = 12.7/6.5
that's how I took the average of 8 partners in the title
To be honest, I have absolutely no idea how the surveys were conducted, I'd assume that you have to actually ask old people how many sexual partners they had because if you ask a 22 year old he can say "4 partners so far" but he can end with either 5 or with 50 when he dies.
Anyway, any comments?