[IPAC-List] Test taking advice for personality tests

[Dennis Doverspike]

On Critics of Testing,

I am sure that as soon as the first test was invented, by the Chinese
according to the history of assessment, the first critic of testing was
born. Criticisms of testing are nothing new. I would bet there have been a
few test constructors burned at the stake and if we still had burning
stakes there would be teacher unions calling for just that punishment for
those who create standardized educational tests.

Certainly, as soon as the Western testing boom started in the 1900s, there
were critics, specifically of the eugenics movement. Perhaps the greatest
anti-personality testing book ever written was *The Organization Man* by
Whyte in 1956. (
http://www.amazon.com/Organization-Man-William-H-Whyte/dp/0812218191).

The future looks even more bleak. From the earliest years in school,
children are taught by teachers about the evils of standardized testing and
how the test has to be outfoxed.

Of course, what is most disappointing is not that the public and
politicians do not understand testing, it is that so few psychologists,
human resource professionals, and even assessment professionals, understand
the most basic facts about the science of testing. Testing is a science and
the basic principles are not open for debate or casual opinion, which is
not to say that their are aspects of assessment or its use that are not
open to thoughtful, informed commentary. Of course, we still debate
evolution and fail to understand basic economic principles (like money does
not grow on trees), so it is no real surprise that testing is so
misunderstood and so often criticized.

So speaking of similar articles online.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/02/what-is-a-college-degree-worth-in-china/high-test-scores-low-ability

Dennis Doverspike

On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 10:03 AM, Fred Rafilson <fred at iosolutions.org>wrote:


> HI Joel,

>

> That's interesting and I'm sure you will find countless other similar

> articles online.  I'm confused because I see/read articles like this,

> that provide essentially bad/false information to prospective test

> takers, all the time.  I'm wondering what specifically it is about this

> article that prompts your post?  Is there a particular issue or point in

> this article that bothers you or is it simply that some uninformed

> author doesn't like employment tests?

>

>

>

> Fred M. Rafilson, Ph.D. ~ Chief Executive Officer

> www.iosolutions.org

> www.publicsafetyrecruitment.com

> 888.784.1290 ~ fax: 708.410.1558

>

>

>

>

>

> View a demo of our online testing application:

> http://ps3.iosolutions.org/ps3demo.asp

>

>

>

>

>

> The Public Safety Selection Specialists(tm)

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org

> [mailto:ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org] On Behalf Of Joel Wiesen

> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 8:46 AM

> To: IPAC-List

> Subject: [IPAC-List] Test taking advice for personality tests

>

> FWIW, found on the web:

>

> http://www.ehow.com/how_4446746_pass-preemployment-personality-test.html

>

>

>

> --

> Joel P. Wiesen, Ph.D., Director

> Applied Personnel Research

> 62 Candlewood Road

> Scarsdale, NY 10583-6040

> (617) 244-8859

> http://appliedpersonnelresearch.com

>

>

>

>

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-- 
Dennis Doverspike, PhD., ABPP
Licensed Psychologist, #3539 (OHIO)
Independent Consultant
Professor of Psychology, University of Akron
dennisdoverspike at gmail.com

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