Debate : 17718


Off-Topic / Debate / 17718	17717 \| 17719

Subject:	Re: Is this an overreaction and a violation of rights?
Newsgroups:	lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date:	Mon, 23 Sep 2002 17:54:28 GMT
Viewed:	459 times

In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Frank Filz writes: > > What's an ENFP? > > http://www.recruit-china.com/Career/MBTI/ENFP > > You can find hundreds of descriptions on the web. This was the first > which had an extensive description. Thank you for the link; I'd never even heard of "ENFP" before, so it was all news to me. But at a quick run-through, the test seems problematic. Consider these questions: Q: You want a job or a career that offers you the chance to travel and see new places. You current job does not offer you either of these things. ___Agree ____Disagree I don't want a job that offers the chance to travel or see new places, so I disagree. But my current job does offer both of these, so I agree. Which is right? Similarly: Q: Your current skill base is not used fully. You know that if you could change industries you could develop a fast track career in that industry very quickly. ___Agree ____Disagree Well, I'm sure my skill base isn't used fully, so I agree. But I don't think I could develop a fast-track career in another industry, so I disagree. Which is right? Both of those questions are beyond the reach of binary yes/no answer, except in very narrow circumstances. If I "agree," how does the test know which part I'm agreeing with? And how about these: Q: You want to work with better technologies that you are working with now. ___Agree ____Disagree Personally, I'd rather work with an abacus by firelight. To heck with my desktop PC! Q: You were passed over for promotion in the last few years. ___Agree ____Disagree Geez, who among us can't agree with that or Q: You have discussed changing your job or your career with your family and they are in agreement with this option. ___Agree ____Disagree Well, I've discussed it with my family, and they bitterly rebuke my decision, so I guess I disagree. Or maybe I don't want to change my job and my family agrees with this option, so I guess I disagree again. Or maybe I've decided not to change my job, but my family doesn't support my choice, so I guess I still disagree. How can simplistic yes/no answers be taken as a representation of any true spectrum of answers? Is this test used for anything in the real world? It seems to have no greater certitude than my daily horoscope. In what kind of situations is this test administered, and for what purpose? My sense is that the perceived usefulness of the test is based on "subjective validation," as described here: http://skepdic.com/forer.html Dave!

Message has 2 Replies:

		Re: Is this an overreaction and a violation of rights?
(...) Oops! Disregard most of that--I looked at the wrong test. The correct one on that site is apparently: (URL) However, aside from the precise questions, the methodology seems equally suspect. The user is asked for a series of bafflingly simple (...) (22 years ago, 23-Sep-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

		Re: Is this an overreaction and a violation of rights?
(...) I didn't look at or take the test at this site, so I can't comment on their specific set of questions. The first time I took the indicator, I balked at these binary questions. The trick is to pick the answer which best fits your true feelings. (...) (22 years ago, 23-Sep-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:

		Re: Is this an overreaction and a violation of rights?
(...) (URL) can find hundreds of descriptions on the web. This was the first which had an extensive description. Frank (22 years ago, 23-Sep-02, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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