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Letters: Medical tests for ministers
I am very impressed with the thorough selection process of the high-ranking government officials, which include medical and psychological examinations
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I
am very impressed with the thorough selection process of the high-ranking government officials, which include medical and psychological examinations. This would put the previous Bush administration of the United States to shame.
As you may remember, the vice president of the second Bush administration, Dick Cheney has a chronic heart condition. Cheney also has a terrible temper, which may be partly the cause of his many faulty judgments regarding foreign affairs issues.
I am surprised, however, that the SBY selection procedures include the MMPI. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is an American personality test which is used by clinical psychologists to assess abnormal behavior.
This test is primarily used in mental hospitals in the United States and in the offices of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. The test consists of more than 500 multiple-choice self-rating items.
The MMPI is very time-consuming to administer and to score. Individuals taking this test may become very stressed and irritated. Moreover, the test is not considered relevant to the individual's ability to perform on the job. With regard to personnel selection in the United States, personality tests are banned partly out of ethical considerations. An individual personality, as a rule, does not predict the level of his job performance. In other words, different types of personality are able to perform the same job efficiently. The personality is formed by a combination of a person's upbringing and cultural heritage.
For instance, a physician from Central Java and another one from West Sumatra with the same experience may qualify as Minister of Health dependent on their relevant work experience. Omission of personality tests in personnel selection will eliminate prejudice regarding ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
Daniel M. Wattimena
California
