When comparing the size of the standard error of the mean with the size of the standard deviation of the underlying distribution of individual scores,
A) the standard error of the mean is always larger
B) the standard error of the mean is always smaller
C) the standard error of the mean is sometimes larger and sometimes smaller, depending on the sample size
D) none of these

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The standard error of the mean is always smaller than the standard deviation of the underlying distribution of individual scores because it is calculated as the standard deviation divided by the square root of the sample size, which reduces its value.

When Comparing the Size of the Standard Error of the Mean