How a Normative Group Works in Psychology

How a Normative Group Works in Psychology Basics Print How a Normative Group Works in Psychology By Lauren DiMaria linkedin Lauren DiMaria is a member of the Society of Clinical Research Associates and childhood psychology expert. Learn about our editorial policy Lauren DiMaria Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 03, 2020 Dan Kitwood / Staff / Getty Images More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming You usually hear the term normative group, or norm group, in discussions of tests and measures. It refers to the sample of test-takers who are representative of the population for whom the test is intended. The normative group is intended to stand for a hypothetical typical test-takerâ€"one who represents the group thats being tested.?? How Norm Groups Are Used in Psychological Testing When designing a test of somethingâ€"for instance, academic ability or signs of depressionâ€"its important for the people making the test to understand the group that they are testing. They also need to identify what is considered normal within that group. Take, for example, the SAT (originally named the Scholastic Aptitude Test and later the SAT Reasoning Test). Published by the College Board, the standardized test measures academic potential. The SAT is taken by high school juniors and seniors throughout the United States each year.?? Therefore, the normative group for the SAT is a randomized, cross-cultural group of American junior and senior high school students who accurately reflect the diversity (and thus, the average) of that group of test-takers. How Random Selection Is Used In Research A psychology example could be a test intended to diagnose depression in American children between the ages of five and 10 years old. In this test, the normative group would be a sample of five- to 10-year-olds from various demographic groups within the United States. How Norm-Referenced Tests Are Assessed Norm-referenced tests are assessed differently compared to criterion-referenced tests. Criterion-referenced tests are the typical test format youd find in school: all questions have right answers and wrong answers, and scores are graded out of a perfect score.?? By contrast, its not possible to pass or fail a norm-referenced test. Rather, it will give results based on performance compared to a normative group. One of the main types of norm-referenced tests is an Intelligence Quotient or IQ test.  Intelligence test scores typically follow a  normal distribution, which is a bell-shaped curve where the majority of scores lie near or around the average score. For example, the majority of scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition  (WAIS-IV) tend to lie between plus 15 or minus 15 points from the average score of 100. This means that approximately 68% of people who take the WAIS-IV test will score somewhere between 85 and 115.?? How Are IQ Scores Interpreted? Percentiles as an Expression of Performance Norm-referenced tests can also be presented as a percentile. The percentiles are based on a bell curve with the norm falling in the middle. The percentile range is demarcated as deviations (either above or below) from the norm.?? If youve taken a standardized test such as the SAT, you may have noticed that you got both a score that was a number based on the total number of points you could have received, as well as a percentile that reflected how you did in relation to other test takers. The farther away from the norm you are, the further away from the 50th percentile your score will be. So, for instance, an SAT score in the 99th percentile means you scored better than 99% of the other test-takers.