What is considered a high standard deviation?

In summary, the conversation discusses the need for measuring and comparing variation in behavior within and between species for a primatology project. The individual has entered data and calculated the mean and standard deviation for one species, but is unsure of what is considered a high standard deviation. Different factors, such as context and other statistical methods, should be considered when determining the significance of a standard deviation. A simple explanation and comparison between species can provide insights into the behavior of a particular species. The statement about dividing the standard deviation by the mean and getting 10% or over being considered high is not always applicable and should be approached with caution.
  • #1
0TheSwerve0
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I am working on a primatology project where I need to find a way to measure and plot the (somewhat arbitary) level of variation in behavior (ie from one individual to the next) within a single species and then compare it to another species level of variation. I have entered the data for the select behaviors that will go into this calculation, and I have calculated the mean and standard deviation for one species. But what is considered a high standard of deviation? My conclusion depends on such calculations, so any help is appreciated, even suggestions for other ways to mathematically calculate values of variation and represent them in charts/graphs. I only have data for 4-5 individuals per species, so I don't think all charts/graphs will be appropriate.

p.s. I haven't taken any real math since high school, so a simple explanation is best. So far, I've read that if you divide the stdev by the mean and get 10% or over, it's considered a high stdev.
 
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  • #2
That depends on what you are trying to do. The standard deviation is generally less important than the Z-Score - i.e. how many standard deviations a particular measurement is from the mean. If you are attempting to model some process then a "large" standard deviation may indicate some problem with your particular model or data collection methodology.

Standard deviation has meaning only in a particular context. In physics, for example, a large standard deviation in the speed of gas particles means the gas is hot!

Also, if you are attempting to model something, you may be more interested in regression or correlation analysis.
 
  • #3
What you can do is compare standard deviations for the behavioral traits of the two species and say that one species shows a larger deviation than the other. By itself, the standard deviation can't be high or low, without a context. The context is usually provided either by theory (which for something like what you are studying, is hugely inadequate) or by more statistics. If most apecies show a deviation of about d in some parameter, and a particular species shows a much larger deviation (3d, say), you might be able to say something about that species (eg : they like to screw around :biggrin: ). Without something else to compare to, there's not much you can say.

p.s. I haven't taken any real math since high school, so a simple explanation is best. So far, I've read that if you divide the stdev by the mean and get 10% or over, it's considered a high stdev.
That itself must have been written in some specific context. In general, that statement makes little sense. In the standard normal distribution, for instance, the mean is zero. So, by that argument, any standard normal distribution will have a standard deviation that is too high.
 
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  • #4
Cool, that's what I did. As for the 10% thing, I just googled a quick search and found a forum message about it. We know how reliable that can be:tongue2:
 

1. What is a standard deviation?

A standard deviation is a measure of how spread out a set of data is. It tells us how much variation there is from the average or mean value.

2. How is standard deviation calculated?

Standard deviation is calculated by finding the difference between each data point and the mean, squaring those differences, finding the average of the squared differences, and then taking the square root of that average.

3. What is considered a high standard deviation?

The value of a high standard deviation depends on the context of the data. In general, a high standard deviation means that the data points are spread out over a large range of values. A good rule of thumb is that a standard deviation that is greater than the mean is considered high.

4. Why is it important to know the standard deviation?

Knowing the standard deviation allows us to better understand the data and make more accurate conclusions. It helps us to identify outliers and determine the range of values in the data set. It is also used in many statistical analyses to measure the significance of results.

5. Can a high standard deviation be a good thing?

In some cases, a high standard deviation can indicate a diverse or varied data set. This can be beneficial in fields such as marketing or product development, where having a range of data points can help in identifying target markets or improving products. However, in other cases, a high standard deviation may indicate a lack of consistency or reliability in the data, which can be a cause for concern. It is important to consider the context of the data when determining if a high standard deviation is a good or bad thing.

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