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Comments on the article Comments on The Brain Watchers, written by K.S. Nickerson, that remarks on the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (see record 2005-11489-001.) The author of this comment mentions several objections to the article written by Nickerson. First, since Nickeron's main theme is the recent attacks by laymen on psychological testing--such as those of Gross (1962), Hoffman (1962), and the popular weekly Life--his mentioning the 16 PF would naturally suggest to a reader that it was one of the tests under attack. The 16 PF, as far as anyone can ascertain, was not among the several tests pilloried by these gentlemen and Life. More seriously, when Nickeson flings the term "impossible" at a 16 PF item, he is simply pontificating, not responsibly bringing evidence as would be expected in a scientific journal. When, by the equally unconsidered term "esoteric," Nickerson objects to technical terms in psychology for precise research concepts, he is, again, scarcely on the side of progress. The author of this comment concludes a psychologist may actually be showing more psychometric wisdom in using, in many testing situations, the 16 PF Form C alone, contrary to Nickerson's dismissal of a six-item scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
