Methodology
Every calculator on this platform starts with a question people rarely ask out loud. How often do most people actually have sex? What does the average person's net worth look like at 35? How long is a typical dry spell, really?
The answers exist in academic research. We find them, build the distribution, and show you exactly where you sit on it. This page explains how we do that, where our data comes from, what we collect when you use a calculator, and what we do with it.
Where the numbers come from
The academic baseline
Every percentile result on Find The Norm is built on published, peer-reviewed research: government surveys, clinical datasets, and academic studies from institutions like the General Social Survey, the ONS, the Kinsey Institute, the CDC, and the Federal Reserve.
We do not invent distributions. We do not estimate from secondary sources. For every calculator, the specific study, authors, journal, sample size, and publication year are listed in the "About this data" section on that page and are traceable to their primary source.
When research disagrees or population samples vary significantly by country, we note this and apply the most broadly applicable data.
Our own submission data
When you complete a calculator, your anonymised response is recorded alongside your age group and, where relevant, your gender. This data does not replace the academic baseline. It supplements it.
We use it to observe how our user population compares to the published research and, where the sample is large enough, to generate original findings. When those findings are published, we are always explicit about which type of data we are citing.
"Among Find The Norm users, X" = our own submissions.
What we collect and what we don't
We Collect
When you use a calculator, your inputs are recorded anonymously. We collect the measurement or behaviour you entered, plus the demographic data needed to make the calculation meaningful.
- The measurement or behaviour entered
- Age group
- Gender (where relevant)
We Do Not Collect
Your submission data is used to generate aggregated population insights. It is not used to build user profiles, target you with advertising, or share your data with third parties in any identifiable form.
- Name
- Email address
- IP address
- Device identifiers
- Any personally identifiable information
How we decide what to publish
We hold our own submission data to strict thresholds before publishing any findings based on it. Where sample sizes don't meet these thresholds, we say so explicitly rather than suppress the caveat.
What makes this data useful
Honest responses
People tell us things they won't tell a researcher. There is no interviewer present when you use a Find The Norm calculator. You are seeking the answer for yourself. Research on survey methodology consistently shows that self-directed, anonymous reporting produces more honest responses on sensitive topics than interviewer-administered surveys.
Current data
Many of the academic baselines underpinning our calculators come from studies conducted 5 to 15 years ago. Our submission data is live. Where the two diverge, the divergence itself is often the most interesting finding.
Broad coverage
We cover ground no single study covers. No academic dataset tracks sexual frequency alongside net worth alongside intrusive thought frequency alongside dry spell duration. Ours does.
Where this data has limits
We are frank about this, because the limits are real.
Selection bias
People who seek out a personal statistics calculator are not a random sample of the population. They are people curious about where they stand, which often means they already suspect they might be unusual. Our data almost certainly overrepresents the tails of distributions relative to the population median.
Self-reporting bias
Even with the anonymity advantage, self-reported data is subject to memory distortion and inconsistent self-assessment. For calculators that rely on estimates rather than precise recall, systematic error is likely.
Demographic skew
Our user base is primarily English-speaking and skews toward adults aged 18 to 45. We cannot confirm that our users represent any national or global population. All findings from our submission data should be read as findings about Find The Norm users, not the general population.
When our data and the research disagree
When submission data materially differs from the published academic baseline, we investigate before drawing conclusions or publishing anything. The most common explanations are selection bias, a recency effect, an anonymity effect, or demographic mismatch.
We report divergences with the most plausible explanation clearly stated. We do not overstate causal claims.
Corrections
If a data error is identified, whether in our academic sources or in how we have applied them, we correct it promptly and note the correction on the affected calculator page. We do not silently update figures.
If a press release or published finding contains an error, we contact the outlet directly and issue a correction notice.
[email protected]For press and researchers
Every press release and data pitch from Find The Norm includes the sample size, the collection period, a clear distinction between academic baseline and submission findings, and contact details for an independent expert available to comment.
"Data collected from [N] self-reported submissions to Find The Norm between [date range]. Submissions are anonymous and voluntary. Results reflect the Find The Norm user population and may not be representative of the general population. As with all self-reported data, results are subject to selection bias. Full methodology at findthenorm.com/methodology."