normative sample

A normative sample is a group of people used as a standard or comparison when testing or measuring something, like a psychological test or a survey. For example, if a new IQ test is created, it’s given to a diverse group of people to see how different scores compare. These results set benchmarks so that individual scores can be understood relative to a typical population. Essentially, it helps assess whether a person’s results are typical or unusual by providing a reference point based on how most people perform.