What is the purpose of descriptive statistics in psychology?

The purpose of descriptive statistics in psychology is to summarize and describe the characteristics of a data set. This involves organizing and presenting data in a way that makes it easy to understand and interpret. Descriptive statistics provide key insights, such as measures of central tendency (like the mean, median, and mode) and measures of variability (like range and standard deviation), which help psychologists understand the general trends and patterns within their data. By summarizing information about a sample or population, researchers are able to effectively convey essential details without being overwhelmed by the raw data themselves. This foundational approach is crucial for any further analysis or hypothesis testing in psychological research.