title: Regression towards the mean, historically considered.
abstract: The simple yet subtle concept of regression towards the mean is reviewed historically. Verbal, geometric, and mathematical expressions of the concept date to the discoverer of the concept, Francis Galton. That discovery and subsequent understanding (and misunderstanding) of the concept are surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA. stigler@galton.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stigler
mesh_terms: D001699:Biometry / Q000266:history*; D005823:Genetics / Q000266:history; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006113:United Kingdom