A confusion of curves. Issue 3 (24th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Raper, Simon
• Is Part Of: Significance. Volume 19:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 35
• Publication Date: 2022-05-24
• Subjects: Statistics -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; 001.422
• DOI: 10.1111/1740-9713.01652
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-9705

Abstract

Abstract : Francis Galton was beguiled by the normal distribution, believing it could split the natural world into a spectrum of types – with each type represented by its own "bell curve". But he was wrong in this belief, and his ideas for separating and shifting the bell curves of human types helped pave a dark path. By Simon Raper Abstract : Francis Galton was beguiled by the normal distribution, believing it could split the natural world into a spectrum of types — with each type represented by its own "bell curve". But he was wrong in this belief, and his ideas for separating and shifting the bell curves of human types helped pave a dark path. By Simon Raper.