Normal Distribution

A normal distribution is a type of continuous probability distribution in which most data

points cluster toward the middle of the range, while the rest taper off symmetrically
toward either extreme. The middle of the range is also known as the mean of the
distribution.
The normal distribution is also known as a Gaussian distribution or probability bell curve.
It is symmetric about the mean and indicates that values near the mean occur more
frequently than the values that are farther away from the mean.
A normal curve is one which graphically represents normal distribution. By definition, a
normal distribution is one in which the majority of cases are located in the middle of the
scale and only a small number of cases are located at both extremes of the scale. Most of
the traits of variables in psychology, sociology and education are normally distributed. In
reality, however, no distribution ever takes the absolute form of normal
distribution/Many frequency distributions are close to this absolute form and we assume
that they are normally distributed.

✓The major characteristics of a normal curve are as follows:

1. A normal curve is always symmetrical), that is, the right half of the curve is equivalent
to the left half of the curve.

2. A normal curve is unimodal, and the mode is always at the centre of the distribution. In
fact, in a normal curve the mean, the median and the mode are numerically identical and
fall at the centre of the distribution

3. A normal curve is asymptotic to the x-axis. Hence, a normal curve never touches the
baseline, no matter how far the curve is stretched.

4. In a normal curve, the highest ordinate is at the centre. All ordinates on both sides of
the distribution are smaller than the highest ordinate.

5. A normal curve is continuous.

In psychological and educational researches, the normal curve has the main practical
applications given below.

1. A normal curve helps in transforming the raw scores into standard scores. 2. A normal
curve helps in calculating the percentile rank of the given scores.

3. If we want to normalize the obtained distribution, a normal curve is of immense

importance
4. A normal curve helps in testing the significance of the obtained measures against a
chance hypothesis and thus enables the researcher to make a generalization about the
population from which the sample was drawn.

5. The data obtained on the basis of the responses to attitude scales, ratings or rankings
may be scaled in terms of the qualitative data by making suitable transformation in the
numerical values.

Researchers in the field of psychology and education prefer a normal distribution of test
scores, even though many other distributions are theoretically possible. Some of the
important reasons are:

(a) One popular reason why researchers prefer normal distributions is that normal curve
has some useful mathematical features that form the basis for several kinds of statistical
investigation. Let us take an example to illustrate this fact. Suppose the researcher wants
to know whether the average (mean) intelligence of first year medical students and first
year engineering students of an institution were significantly different. An inferential
statistic such as the test for the difference between means would be the most appropriate
statistic. However, this inferential statistic (many more also) is based upon the
assumption that the underlying population of scores is normally distributed or nearly so.
Thus for facilitating the safe and smooth use of inferential statistic, researchers prefer
that the test scores in the population follow a normal or near-normal distribution

(b) Another reason for preferring the normal distribution is its mathematical precision.
Since the normal distribution is accurately defined in mathematical terms, it is possible
to compute area under different regions of the curve with accuracy. For example, from
normal curve we can easily determine that vast bulk of scores (more than 68 per cent)
fall within one standard deviation of mean in positive and negative direction.

(c) The third reason for preferring a normal distribution of test scores is that normal
distribution of test scores often arises spontaneously in nature. Due to this reason, early
investigators considered normal curve as law of nature. In fact, important human
characteristics, both physical and mental, tend to produce a close approximation to the
normal curve especially when measurements for large and heterogeneous samples are
graphed. Physical characteristics like birth weight, brain weight and mental
characteristics like intelligence do have a near-normal distribution.

Non normal distributions: Skewness and Kurtosis

Nonnormal distributions are those distributions of score, which deviate from normal one.
Nonnormality of distribution arises when some of the hypothetical factors determining
the strength of a trait are dominant or prepotent over the others and therefore, are
present more often than chance will allow. Two important types of nonnormal
distributions frequently studied by psychologists and educational researchers are:
Skewness and Kurtosis.

Skewness refers to the extent to which a frequency distribution departs from a

symmetrical shape. If the test scores are piled up at the low (or left) end of the scale and
are spread out gradually toward high or right end of the distribution, it is said to be
positively skewed. On the other hand, when the test scores are plied up at the high or
right end of the scale and are spread out gradually toward low or left end of the
distribution, it is said to be negatively skewed. When the skewness is positive, the mean
lies to the right of the median and when the skewness is negative, the mean lies to the left
of the median.

Kurtosis refers to the peakedness or flatness of a frequency distribution as compared

with normal distribütion. In simple words, kurtosis is the extent to which a curve is more
or less peaked than a normal curve with the same standard deviation. When a frequency
is more peaked than the normal one, it is said to be leptokurtics when flatter than normal,
it is called as platykurtic and when the frequency distribution is neither peaked nor flat-
topped but as the same as the normal curve, this medium kurtosis is described as
mesokurtic.