PSYCH Exam

[TALLON]

Having passed my most recent Poly...the next step is the Psych test.

I understand that it's some 750 odd questions, like: "Would you rather wash windows or dig ditches"?

I don't have any Psych concerns related to stability of thought...however, I am concerned about the "interpreted" results from a "scan-tron" type exam.

I assume that a post exam face to face with a guy with 15 initials after his name would ensue.

Anyone have any insight(s) into this phase of the process?

[txinvestigator1]

Its easy. Relax, take your time, and fun with the questions such as;

My father was a good man

I would be more successful if people didnt have it in for me

I enjoyed playing drop the hankerchef when I was a child

Sometimes I feel the urge to do really bad things

[ngcsubutterbar]

quote'

'Sometimes I feel the urge to do really bad things'

lol if you say no to this, you're lying.

[lawdawg]

So you actually admit to it? I wonder what 'really bad things' would be considered.

[Darin]

Originally posted by lawdawg
So you actually admit to it? I wonder what 'really bad things' would be considered.

Lawdawg, do you ever have the urge to do really bad things? If you do then say you do. If you don't then put no. I think butterbar was joking when he said if you say no your lying.

I've taken this type of test twice and they are no fun at all. I took one in Oct. and it took me 4 1/2 hours to complete. It was 3 true/false tests with over 1000 questions in all. Then a written literacy test. And last but not least I had an interview with the Dr. that lasted about 30 minutes.

I got the results and it stated that I was a category 3 - Recommended with reservations. I don't really know what that means exactly. And also I don't see how they come to determine your psyche by those written tests.

[lawdawg]

I would imagine the followup would delve into these areas if they had questions. What if I thought flipping somebody off after they cut in front of me was bad? Or maybe 'really bad' is killing someone.

Does it matter? If thoughts aren't carried into action then there is no problem. People fantasize about things all the time that they wouldn't actually do. Hmm, wonder what they are looking for...

[ngcsubutterbar]

yeah I was sorta joking, but seriously the normal human pysche does have thoughts to do bad things, it is a normal thing.


About the catagories, as you probably know, agencies don't hire the '33%' catagory that were bullied or are bullies when they were younger. Its rought to find and sort those other 2/3's of qualified applicants that aren't in those catagories of risk for problems down the road.

[Darin]

Don't read too much into the questions.

[TALLON]

Darin...that's my contention. How can you tell if I am a "NUT" by these tests?

If I answer that I would rather tar a roof barefoot in Arizona in August than go wakeboarding on Lake Michigan in February...nevermind.

We agree that these test are F****D Up!

[Darin]

agreed

[lawdawg]

I think they throw in nonsense questions just to help hide the real questions. Maybe they just want to make you sweat, or waste time on these nonsense questions to see if you can determine that they are nonsense, so you can move on and complete the test.

[EHStaley]

There is no spoon.

[TALLON]

Lawdawg: sounds like a sound strategy for ascertaining a candidate's psychological stability...ask a bunch of questions to waste time or see if someone will sweat.

That clears it up for me.

[lawdawg]

See, sometimes you just need a different perspective! Seriously though, the whole hiring process is about making the candidate sweat, so I don't see why they wouldn't incorporate that into the psych test.

If the test asks if you would rather be washing windows or digging ditches and you chose washing windows, then you should probably be a maid. If they ask if you'd rather walk barefoot in the snow in january or on the hot pavement of las vegas in august, then I don't see any relevence; so I'm assuming there are a certain amount of "filler" questions, for whatever purpose.

[TALLON]

Agreed. The process at times is nerve-racking. But if we've gotten past the "Am I making you Nervous" part. When does the "Are you the right guy" part begin?...rhetorical

I know they want to rattle your cage whenever possible. That I get.

Just hoping to pick the brain of some of the LEO's on board that have made it through this phase.

Enjoying the discussion.