What is the standard deviation of a sampling distribution called?

What is the standard deviation of a sampling distribution called? Options: (a) Sampling error (b) Sample error (c) Standard error (d) Simple error ✅ Correct Option: (c) Standard error Explanation (200+ words): The standard deviation of a sampling distribution is called the standard error. It measures how much a sample statistic (such as the mean or proportion) is expected to vary from sample to sample when repeated samples are drawn from the same population. In other words, it reflects the precision of an estimate. The standard error plays a crucial role in inferential statistics, particularly in hypothesis testing and confidence interval estimation. A smaller standard error indicates that the sample statistic is a more accurate estimate of the population parameter. The size of the standard error depends mainly on sample size and population variability. As sample size increases, the standard error decreases. Sampling error is a broader concept referring to differences between sample and population values, but the technical statistical term for the standard deviation of the sampling distribution is standard error, making option (c) correct. 10 PPSC-Related Facts: 1. Standard error measures sampling variability 2. Used in confidence intervals 3. Used in hypothesis testing 4. Smaller with larger samples 5. Based on sampling distribution 6. Different from standard deviation 7. Indicates precision 8. Key inferential concept 9. Depends on sample size 10. Common PPSC MCQ topic