We are all open books
A big concern in psychological testing is whether the testee is giving us accurate information. Are they making themselves look worse to get the treatment, get the drugs or get the attention? Or are they making themselves look better to avoid having to deal with potential treatment or because they are in denial of the problems they might be facing? In a lot of self-report tests, the results and thus the prognosis entirely depends on the information that the patient releases about him/herself.
Now let me ask you this: on a weekly basis, how often do you give out personal information to unknown people you encounter throughout your day? None? Really? What about the cashier that asks for your postal code so they can send demographic data to their HQ? What about the contest slips you enter at the grocery store to win store credit where they ask you for your full name, phone number and address? And what about Facebook? The number of companies, apps and who knows what else that ask for access to your online information for you to view their page or share their video? I include myself in this group. The minute we are asked these pieces of information about where we live and what we do we automatically give an answer without thinking too much about it. What we all sometimes fail to realize is that this information can be used against us by tech savvy individuals who can take your identity or your money within seconds.
So then why are we so afraid that the people we test will lie to us about information that — theoretically — will only be used for good? I doubt that if you are taking a personality, IQ or mood disorder test that this information can be used to usurp your identity or render you penniless. A better question may even be why would we lie in the first place? Why are we so protective of our quirks and thoughts when we so willingly give out other types of information about ourselves that can directly be used against us?
Just by giving these tidbits of information over the past year, just today I found out that you can get a two-for-deal on yarn at Michael’s, that if you buy 10 facial masks at the Face Shop you get five for free, and that at Reitman’s you can buy any of their spring t-shirts for only 12$. I didn’t have to leave the house to get this information, yet while taking all of your procrastination and body image tests anonymously, I had an internal debate with myself to not look like I procrastinate too much or that I don’t have a negative body image.
~ CaS
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