Which curve is characterized as a symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution?

The normal curve, also known as the Gaussian distribution, is characterized by its symmetrical, bell-shaped profile. This curve illustrates how a set of data is distributed around a mean; it shows that most observations cluster around this central value, with probabilities tapering off equally in both directions of the mean.

In a normal distribution, the properties include that the mean, median, and mode are all equal and located at the center of the distribution, providing a clear representation of data variations. The standard deviation determines the width of the curve, indicating how spread out the data points are. The symmetry of the normal curve plays a significant role in inferential statistics, as many statistical tests assume a normal distribution of data, making it a fundamental concept in psychology and other fields. This symmetry is crucial because it allows for the use of parametric statistical tests and the application of the central limit theorem, which states that the distribution of sample means approaches a normal distribution as the sample size increases.

The other options represent different types of distributions that do not possess the same symmetrical bell-shaped characteristics.