Normative Data

Normative data is subjective data, information that is not based upon tangible fact, repeatable proof, not reproducible. Feelings, emotional perceptions, and conjectures are also normative input.

The danger is that depending upon the source, many people will accept normative data as validated objective/empirical data without a question. That is why you must always verify the data, not the source. No matter how nice, honest, or forthright a person is, they are still human. They will make errors and/or fail to check their personal bias. It is not an insult to verify someone’s data. If the source is good it will validate them.

As I have noted many times, the two most destructive things in decision making are anger and fear. I might add one more, sexual attraction. If you make any decision based solely upon one of those normative “facts” “you will live to regret it, if you are lucky”.

Subjective data is based upon personal perceptions or parroted from another. Assumptions, interpretations, beliefs are subjective. You find subjective data all over print media, social media, blogs, vlogs, YouTube, etc.

Hunt for the Objective/Empirical data, it is the foundation of good decision and analysis.