Abstract

Test use in sport psychology practice can certainly be controversial. The widely discussed credulous versus skeptical debate (Morgan, 1980) regarding the efficacy of psychological test use in sport psychology had a significant effect on the field. Sport psychologists who were professionally active in the 1970s will recall the earnest and somewhat divisive discussions. Perhaps as a result of these discussions sport psychologists gravitated toward becoming either staunch advocates (i.e., credulous) or staunch adversaries (i.e., skeptical) of testing. For example, the credulous side believe that personality data derived from questionnaires are extremely useful in predicting success, whereas the skeptical side believe questionnaire data have little relevance and usefulness (cf. Morgan, 1980). Now, some 35 years after the fervor of the credulous–skeptical debate, we can reflect that both sides were using data derived from somewhat dubious methods based on current standards and arguments. Also, in reviewing the relevant literature from the period, there were many inflammatory comments and statements proposed from both the skeptical and the credulous.