Which distribution is symmetrical and bell-shaped, forming a normal distribution?

Which distribution is symmetrical and bell-shaped, forming a normal distribution?

• A. Positively Skewed Distribution
• B. Negatively Skewed Distribution
• C. Normal Distribution
• D. Skewed Distributions

Answer: (C)

A normal distribution is a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that shows how many observations cluster around a central value. Its key feature is perfect symmetry around the center, so the mean, median and mode are the same. The probabilities form a mirror image on either side and decline smoothly as you move away from the center. Positively skewed means data pile up on the left with a tail extending to the right; negatively skewed has a longer tail on the left. “Skewed distributions” is a general label for anything that isn’t symmetric. Because the question specifies symmetry and a bell shape, the normal distribution fits best. In psychology, this shape underpins many statistical methods and assumptions, making it the standard reference for data that are approximate and well-behaved.

A normal distribution is a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that shows how many observations cluster around a central value. Its key feature is perfect symmetry around the center, so the mean, median and mode are the same. The probabilities form a mirror image on either side and decline smoothly as you move away from the center.

Positively skewed means data pile up on the left with a tail extending to the right; negatively skewed has a longer tail on the left. “Skewed distributions” is a general label for anything that isn’t symmetric. Because the question specifies symmetry and a bell shape, the normal distribution fits best. In psychology, this shape underpins many statistical methods and assumptions, making it the standard reference for data that are approximate and well-behaved.