In IQ testing, the score distribution is typically centered around 100 with most scores near the mean; this distribution is known as what?

• A. Mental Age
• B. Normal Distribution (Bell Curve)
• C. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
• D. Wechsler Scales

Answer: (B)

IQ scores are designed to follow a normal distribution—a bell-shaped curve centered at 100. In this pattern, the mean sets the middle point, and most people cluster near it while fewer scores appear as you move farther from the center. This pattern arises from how standardized tests are constructed and scaled, giving us a reference where 100 sits at the middle and typical variability is acknowledged by a standard deviation.

Mental Age is a concept used to describe performance relative to age groups, not the overall distribution of scores. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Scales are actual tests, and they use standardization procedures that yield scores following this bell-curve pattern.