Thread:User talk:WaitingforGodot/Stand back, this is (pseudo-)science!

Speaking of psychometric reification, here is a relevant nugget combining two golden oldies: Personality and gender. Now this is some Grade-A methodology. Take some self-reported (of course!) data, load as many factors into your model as possible, and then invent a new measurement wholesale. This 15d measure is "global personality"? Is this supposed to be some kind of Personality Quotient? PQ? What does this metric even mean? On top of that, they act like it's a surprise that when you basically add a ton of small effects together you get a larger one. QFT and understatement: "If you set up your models based on the level of maximum differences, should you really be surprised when your findings demonstrate large findings? ...this just seems like a fatal flaw to me." No shit.

Oh, wait, I think I see what this metric means now: Headline fodder! If evo psychers can make the baby Darwin cry, personality psychologists make baby Wundt cry.