SOCIAL SCIENCE INSANITY

Social science insanity, will it ever stop?

The short answer is no so long as people put up with it. The long answer is the same because people are far too tolerant about invasions of their lives and integrity.

If you don't know what a psychometric test is, you probably haven't applied for a job recently. 

The tests are a mumble jumble of questions without either incorrect or correct answers--something only a bunch of well meaning, extremely misguided social scientists could think up-- that employers no doubt cough up huge sums of money to administer to help weed out potential unwanted or troublesome prospective employees.

That's okay you say. Well, maybe and maybe not. Now banks are starting to use them if you don't have the kind of credit report--and we're not talking numbers or phony scores here---they want to grant you a loan.

What these tests are is another tentacle, this time corporate, of George Orwell's 1984.

It's another example if you take all the corporate lemmings, strip them naked and stand them on their heads, they all look alike.

A piece in today's Financial Times, "Emerging markets Personalty tests can help to assess loan risk," states: "A mini-boom in psychometric testing is improving financial inclusion in emerging markets, providing an alternative for applicants who do not have traditional credit records."

The article then names a couple of companies, one in London and another in the United States, "that are helping bring banking to the 'unbanked.'" We suggest you take that PR promo for what it is, we're from the corporate world and we're here to help the needy.

"Schemes are up," the writer claims, "and running in Peru, India and other countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia."

Quoting the CEO of one company, "We are doing something completely different, that is actually a sensible way to evaluate risk," the Times reports. But what this really is besides the above-mentioned invasions, is another cockeyed attempt to punish the many to catch the few.

"Tests aim to assess applicants' creditworthiness by revealing personality traits that have no obvious right answer."

Lenders using the screening tests claim it' shown "up to a 50 per cent reduction in defaults." The key key words in that sentence are "up to."  

Given the current global situation and the persistent flatness of wages,one might suggest a better use for that money by banks would be to give  your current employees a raise and hire more to give your customers decent service.