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5-Introduction To The Normal Distribution (Bell Curve)

The document provides an introduction to the normal distribution, also known as the bell curve. It discusses key properties like symmetry around the mean and most values clustering around the mean. The normal distribution is important in statistics and psychology as many natural phenomena approximate this shape. Parametric tests require a normal distribution, and the central limit theorem states that the sampling distribution of the mean approaches normal as sample size increases.

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Zeeshan Akhtar
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104 views9 pages

5-Introduction To The Normal Distribution (Bell Curve)

The document provides an introduction to the normal distribution, also known as the bell curve. It discusses key properties like symmetry around the mean and most values clustering around the mean. The normal distribution is important in statistics and psychology as many natural phenomena approximate this shape. Parametric tests require a normal distribution, and the central limit theorem states that the sampling distribution of the mean approaches normal as sample size increases.

Uploaded by

Zeeshan Akhtar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to the Normal

Distribution (Bell Curve)


Semester-V Fall 2020

Ms. Fatima Salman


Psychology Department
Lahore Garrison University
Properties of the normal distribution?
• The normal distribution is a distribution that is symmetrical on both sides of
the mean, so the right side of the center is a mirror image of the left side.
• Most of the continuous data values in a normal distribution tend to cluster
around the mean, and the further a value is from the mean, the less likely it
is to occur.
• For a perfectly normal distribution the mean, median and mode will be the
same value, visually represented by the peak of the curve.
• The normal distribution is often called the bell curve because the graph of
its probability density looks like a bell. It is also known as called Gaussian
distribution, after the German mathematician Carl Gauss who first described
it.
Why is the normal distribution important?
• The bell-shaped curve is a common feature of nature and psychology
• The normal distribution is the most important distribution in statistics
because many continuous data in nature and psychology displays this
bell-shaped curve when compiled and graphed.
• For example, if we randomly sampled 100 individuals we would
expect to see a normal distribution frequency curve for many
continuous variables, such as IQ, height, weight and blood pressure.
Parametric significance tests require a
normal distribution of the samples' data
points
• The most powerful (parametric) statistical tests used by psychologists
require data to be normally distributed.
• If the data does not resemble a bell curve researchers may have to
use a less powerful type of statistical test, called non-parametric
statistics.
• Converting the raw scores of a normal distribution to standardized
scores
• We can standardized the values (raw scores) of a normal distribution
by converting them into standardized scores.
• This procedure allows researchers to determine the proportion of the
values that fall within a specified number of standard deviations from
the mean.
• 70% of the scores in a distribution are located within a distance of
one standard deviation from the mean, and almost all of the scores
(roughly 95%) are within two standard deviations of the mean.

•  This means there is a 70% probability of randomly selecting a score


between -1 and +1 standard deviations from the mean.

• While there is a 95% probability of randomly selecting a score


between -2 and +2 standard deviations from the mean.
How can I check if my data follows a
normal distribution?
• Statistical software (such as SPSS) can be used to check if your dataset
is normally distributed by calculating the three measures of central
tendency.
• If the mean, median and mode are very similar values there is a good
chance that the data follows a bell-shaped distribution
Sample Size
• Normal distributions become more apparent (i.e. perfect)
the finer the level of measurement and the larger the
sample from a population.
What is central limit theorem in statistics?

• The central limit theorem states that the sampling distribution of the
mean approaches a normal distribution, as the sample size increases.
This fact holds especially true for sample sizes over 30.

• Therefore, as a sample size increases, the sample mean and standard


deviation will be closer in value to the population mean μ and
standard deviation σ .

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