Measures of central tendency are statistical methods used to calculate averages or typical values within a dataset, providing a summary of the central location of the data. The three most common measures of central tendency are the mean (the arithmetic average), the median (the middle value when the data is ordered), and the mode (the most frequently occurring value in the dataset). Each of these measures has its own strengths and is appropriate for different types of data and different analytical purposes. The mean is sensitive to extreme values, while the median is not. The mode is particularly useful for categorical data. Sociologists use measures of central tendency to describe and compare different groups or populations on various characteristics, such as income, age, or education level.