New multiaperture 1.65 and 2.2 micron photometry has been obtained for the central region of 132 spirals exhibiting 2 orders of magnitude range in central 10-micron luminosity. This multiaperture photometry along with optical spectroscopy indicated that the high central 10-micron luminosity (about 1 billion solar luminosities) is powered by massive star formation for the majority of the sample objects. The large data base has led to the definition of a complete sample of nearby M82-type starburst galaxies, the majority of which have not previously been recognized as such. Observation results and comparison with starburst models support the interpretation that, as in the case of M82, red supergiants dominate the central 2.2-micron luminosity of the starbursts in this sample. The starburst galaxy M82 is anomalous in comparison with the starburst galaxies identified in this study, by virtue of a rare high central 2.2-micron luminosity. 37 refs.