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Extreme outliers do not necessarily indicate measurement errors or misunderstandings; they can sometimes represent honest and accurate estimates of extreme behavior. For example, in a large study of university students (Brown & Sinclair, 1999), the vast majority of participants reported having had fewer than $$15$$ lifetime sexual partners, but a few participants reported extreme scores of $$60$$ or $$70$$. While these could be intentional exaggerations or errors, it is also plausible that they reflect accurate estimates of highly atypical behavior, requiring researchers to carefully consider how to handle them analytically rather than automatically discarding them.

Example of a Valid Extreme Outlier

When encountering an extreme outlier in a dataset, such as a participant reporting a highly atypical number of lifetime sexual partners, what is the most appropriate perspective for a researcher to take?

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