wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2002 at 7:09am:

Skeptic, You said: I certainly agree with you when it comes to encryption.  However, psychological tests are a different matter.  Most psychological tests, be they personality tests such as the MMPI-2 or forensic tests, were developed on populations of naive test takers.  Once the tests have been developed, attempts are made to safeguard against those trying to fake good or otherwise manipulate or invalidate them.  The MMPI-2, for example, contains a Lie scale and a Frequency scale, among others, to alert the examiner to such attempts.   But if someone were to purchase the test booklets, scoring protocols, and analysis books; if they knew which questions belong to which scales and how they are answered in the normal or deviant manner; if they were to plan what type of profile they wish to project and studied sufficiently well, then the psychologist's task at determining their true psychological profile would be more difficult.  This is why the psychological community tries to prevent the dissemination of that type of information to the potential test takers.

You have, of course, subtly changed the subject with the above.  We were talking about security screening proceedures, and in order to make your point, you have now widened the scope to general psychological testing.

While I'll not dispute that widespread dissemination of information regarding the MMPI-2 does serve to compromise the test, you've ironically hurt your own case with the anology.  Aside from individuals and corporations that have financial interest in using the MMPI-2 for employment screening, most psychologists I'm aware of consider such purposes an abuse of the test.  It wasn't designed for employment or security screening, nor has it been validated for such.  Further, its proper use involves it being only one facet of a thorough psychological profile and assessment.  Thus, I believe your analogy to polygraphy is a better one than you intended.  

An important distinction, Oof course, is that anyone who wants to read up on the validity and theory behind the MMPI-2 can easily do so, through the peer-reviewed psychological literature.  Can you claim the same for R/I testing?  If so, would you care to point us to references?

Skepti