Measures of Variability

The measures of central tendency give us the single central value representing their entire data but
fail to represent the deviations of the values in the distribution.

We cannot make out anything about the internal structure of the distribution. That is, how the
scores are spread or scattered in a distribution from a given point of measures of central tendency.

It is, therefore, necessary to study the variability of the scores in the distribution.

In order to give a better shape to the given data it is not enough to the find out the measures of
central tendency but necessary to make detailed study of the variability of the given data.

These measures are knows as second order measure, based on the first order measures of mean,
median and mode.
• The average of the standard deviation of the measures from their
mean is known as the Variance
• i.e., б2 = Σ x/N
• б2 = Variance of the sample.
• x = Deviation of the raw scores from the mean.
• N = Number of measures.
Range

Because it
It is easy to It is the most
Range takes into considers only the
understand and general measure
account of the highest and lowest
simple to of variability and it
extremes of the scores in the
Range is the compute. It is the is computed when
series of the series and except
simplest measure difference we wish to make a
scores only and it these two score
of variability. between the rough comparison
is very unreliable do not reveal
highest and the of two or more
measures of anything about
lowest scores of groups for
variability. other scores in the
the distribution. variability.
series.
i. Worked Example

• Suppose an intelligent test has been administer to a group of

40 pupils say, in the group among the 40 series, highest score
is 75 and the lowest score is say 40.
• Then,
• The Range = Highest Score –Lowest Score
• = 75 –40 = 35
• Here it never speaks the rest 38 score in the series only the
highest of 75 and the lowest of 40 we could able to explain in
the data.
Standard Deviation

• Standard deviation is the most stable index of variability and used in

research and experimental studies.
• Very often this measure is used in all interpretations without which it
is not possible to predict the given data.
• It differs from the mean deviation in several respects.
• In standard deviation we avoid the difficulty of signs by squaring the
separate deviations and again the squared deviation are used in
computing this measure.
• The standard deviation is called the root mean squared deviation and represented
by the Greek letter Sigma (б).
Standard Deviation of Ungrouped Data
Steps
• Advantages of the Standard Deviation
 Takes into account all scores in the distribution.
 Provides a good description of variability.
 Tends to be the most reliable measure.
 Plays an important role in advanced statistical procedures.
• iv. Disadvantages of the Standard Deviation
 Very sensitive to extreme scores or outliers.
 Cannot be calculated with undeterminable or open-ended scores.