inidividuals

An individual is a single human being, distinct from a group or aggregate. In many contexts, the term emphasizes separateness, autonomy, and the capacity for agency and responsibility. The word is used across disciplines to refer to one member of a population.

In social science and statistics, individuals are the basic units of analysis. Data collected at the level of individuals enable studies of behavior, demographics, and outcomes. In research ethics and data protection, information about an identifiable individual is considered personal data.

The concept intersects with questions of personal identity and continuity over time in philosophy, and with rights and duties in law. In economics and psychology, analyses often focus on individual preferences, incentives, and decision making.

Related terms carry different nuances. “Person” commonly denotes legal or moral standing; “citizen” implies political membership. “Individual” emphasizes separateness and autonomy, especially in analytic or statistical contexts. The term is widely used in areas ranging from census-taking to clinical research and constitutional rights.

Note: The term as written in the prompt is sometimes misspelled as “inidividuals” in error.