When his co-workers were asked about Gary, they all said the information they provided about Gary was plainly positive. They were as surprised as he was. It was impossible to find out. Documentation on the tool was incomplete and sounded more like a third-rate sermon than a technical description of the underbelly of a psychological test. Statistical studies supporting its construction and use were sparse to non-existent.
Mental testing is a complex, highly technical specialization within scientific psychology.
Their heated ideological warfare in scientific publications has amplified the reigning confusion about acceptable testing practices with contentious posturing and impenetrably technical jargon. In the process, they have helped create a consumer vacuum that is only too willingly filled by charlatans, cranks and crackpots. Notwithstanding the arcane vocabulary of psychometrics, there are important, basic guiding principles test users need to know to properly evaluate any assessment tool. Some, like test security, are simple. Others are more subtle.