Mann-Whitney U Test

The Mann-Whitney U test is a nonparametric test used to compare whether two independent groups differ in terms of central tendency or ranking behavior. It is a strong alternative when data is not normally distributed or when classical assumptions are violated. It is particularly useful with small datasets and rank-based comparisons. It does not always test mean differences directly; more generally, it examines systematic differences in the distributional structure. That makes it a reliable choice when parametric tests are not appropriate.