Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Limitations of Psychological Testing

Psychological testing differs from real life in that in the testing situation a subject is required to give a response. In real life a person can defer judgment. In other words, in the testing situation a person will necessarily expose his weaknesses. In real life a person can rely on his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.

That reminds me of something Elliott Mincberg, Esq. once said about his friend, Judge David Tatel who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for DC. Mr. Mincberg said: "You would never know he is blind. He functions so effectively in everything he does."

I don't drive. I never got a licence. I would probably make a terrible driver. My spatial intelligence is poor, a fact confirmed by the results of the Performance portion of the Wechsler intelligence test I took in May 1994. So I don't drive. I also don't play chess, another activity that requires spatial intelligence. You would never know how poor my spatial intelligence is.

The same principle holds true in the animal world. Sea lions have poor locomotion on land. But they are excellent swimmers. So they hunt for food in the sea. They don't bother trying to hunt for food on land.

Speaking metaphorically, I love swimming in the sea. -- But then, I always had a problem with metaphors!

No comments: