Hopeful Oxford dons forced to pass new personality test
Prospective Oxford dons could soon face a controversial personality test as part of the interview process for University jobs. The test, designed by Oxford’s Psychology Department, will seek to predict how University staff might behave in certain scenarios.
According to Oxford Psychological Press (OPP), the test is designed to measure extraversion, independence, tough-mindedness, anxiety and self-control through a series of theoretical situations and personal questions. Robert McHenry, a psychology lecturer at Oxford University, has already used the personality test to help discriminate between potential candidates.
McHenry said, “Academics are often chosen for their narrow specialism and find it difficult to co-operate or work in teams. “This means testing at the selection stage can be terribly valuable”. The test has sparked heated debate within Oxford’s acadmic community. Valentine Cunningham, an English lecturer and tutor at Corpus Christi, said, “The test is an extremely bad idea. It’d be not only insidious, but also stupid.
This is a modern version of phrenology. The character profiles put together by such means are just like the sort of character summaries you find in Astrology columns. Just as dubious fiction. Or less than half-truths.” Joint General Secretary of the University and College Union Sally Hunt likewise condemned the test. Hunt said, “The highly subjective nature of techniques, such as psy- chometric testing, are not appropriate for universities.
26th Apr 2007