THE SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS I99
discover and measure the ethical and emotional qualities
it is obvious that they do not provide an infallible method
for selecting the right man for the right place. In the
absence of knowledge about certain of an individual’s most
important characteristics, no reliable deductions can be
made about that individual’s future, or his desirability
for a certain kind of work. This is, indeed, a serious shortcoming,
and one which gravely limits the usefulness of
psychological tests. However, it must be remembered
that all other methods are equally helpless in the face of
this difficulty, even while not admitting it, and that the
psychologist has at least the advantage of recognizing the
intricacies which the problem presents.
The limitations of psychological tests as applied to the
individual having been recognized, wherein does the real
value and scope of these tests lie? Briefly, in their ability
to discover the presence and measure the extent of the
specific abilities or faculties which an individual possesses.
This knowledge makes it possible to select from a group
of applicants those who possess at least one of the two
fundamental requisites for success; namely, ability to do
the work of a given job. Aside from all moral qualifications,
every job requires a minimum of ability or intelligence.
Those who possess the necessary moral qualities
are not fitted for a job unless they possess also the necessary
mental qualities, the necessary ability or technique.
On the other hand, those who possess the required ability
but not the right moral traits are equally unfitted for the
Job in question. Those who possess neither ability nor
character are least of all fitted, while those who possess
both are of course best fitted. We may show the four
possible combinations of these two fundamental elements
by means of the following table:
