Normality of Data and Presentation

For the normality of the data, three ways of identifying either the data is normally distributed or not have been performed for each scales. The results are as illustrated below:

1. The Perceived Social Support Scale

The figure below shows a histogram for variable "Tot.SS", or the Total Score of Social Support. The histogram indicates that the distribution is not normal. The overall shape of the histogram also shows that the score are not normally distributed within the normal curve. It can be seen that the skewness of the curved is negatively skewed and not symmetrical, therefore indicates that the data is not normally distributed.

The P-P Plot above shows that the data scores are scattered around the straight line. However, most of the dots are not closely aligned to the straight line, therefore resembles that the distribution of the data is not normal. 

2. The Emotional Contagion Scale

The figure below shows a histogram for variable "TOTAL.EC", or the Total Score of Emotional Contagion. The histogram indicates that the distribution is not normally distributed. It can be seen that the skewness of the curved is negatively skewed and not symmetrical, therefore indicates that the data is not normally distributed.

The P-P Plot above also shows that the data scores are scattered around the straight line. However, most of the dots are not closely aligned to the straight line, therefore resembles that the distribution of the data is not normal. 

In relation to both data, the distribution of data in the Total Score for Emotional Contagion is more normal compared to the Total Score of Social Support, since the dots in the earlier are more closely aligned to the straight line than the latter.

To confirm the normality of the data in a more convincing way, two indices have been performed which are Kurtosis and Skewness. 

For the data of Total Score of Social Support (Tot.SS), the skewness statistic is , -0.721/0.512 = 1.408 and the kurtosis statistic is -0.075/0.992 = -0.076. It can be inferred that both statistics are within the ranged +1.96 or -1.96. However this statistics show some contradiction to the histogram presented above. Therefore in my personal judgement, I would conclude that the data is not normally distributed, based on the histogram. The descriptive statistics for Total Social Support is, M= 71.90, SD=9.96

For the data of Total Score of Emotional Contagion (TOTAL.EC), the skewness statistic is , -0.248/0.512 = -0.484 and the kurtosis statistic is -0.072/0.992 = -0.0725. It can be inferred that both statistics are within the ranged +1.96 or -1.96. However this statistics show some contradiction to the histogram presented above. Therefore in my personal judgement, I would conclude that the data is not normally distributed, based on the histogram. The descriptive statistics for Total Emotional Contagion is, M= 43.50 SD=5.84

In relation to both data, it can be concluded that all data are not normally distributed, or not normal. It should be noted that it is important to check the normality of the data because some of the statistical test can only be done on the normal distributed data such as t-test.

LINK :

Normality of Data and Presentation