Monday, August 10, 2020

Testing Presidential Candidates

 Some have suggested (Demanded?) that Candidate Joseph Biden be subjected to a test of "Cognitive" ability. This appears to be based on his mis-speaking on many occasions. Some have, out of a sense of fairness (?), that President Trump be subjected to ehe same test(s).


I do not know if the suggested tests are "valid and reliable", that being the standard for any scientific tests.

I must wonder if political candidates be, better, tested for the presence or lack-thereof of "psychopathologies".

In fact, there is such a valid-and-reliable test for such "mental disorders" (Or the lack of such). It is the Minnesota Multiiphasic Personality Inventory.

Although I first recommended that test for the acceptance/rejection of applicants for police officer positions (Or, promotions within police agencies, it seem fitting that political candidates (ie Including for POTUS) take that test.

Those (eg Licensed and especially pre-trained psychologists) evaluating those tests must be fully isolated from the identity of tested candidates. For POTUS candidates, multiple such experts might best be so
employed and their evaluations compared.

Of course. the People would have an absolute right to know: The scientific quality of any such tests; And, each candidate's "test results".
                                     

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