.topic Nocontext=0 The Minnesota Marble CounterÜ ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß The program source and most of its resources are 'Public Domain'. Certain portions of the compiled code and library references are Copyright (c) 1991 Borland International, Inc. The test its self is copyrighted by 'The Psychological Corporation', a company that supplies psychologists and other such people with lots of nifty paraphenalia such as $4.00 Radio Shack multimeters with a a stick-on template for measuring the electrical resistance of a subject's tongue for $190.00. Needless to say, various state and federal government agencies buy stuff from them and pay through the nose. .topic MMPI The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) This text is meant to simply provide an overview of the different scales and their meaning. It is by no means a clinical treatment of the MMPI nor should anyone treat this as a clinical tool in any serious sense. The programmer has no psychological background or training. The program is simply based on a copy of the MMPI (form R), the instructions, the grading templates and an answer key. The abridged information in this text was taken from 'Configural Interpretations of the MMPI and CPI', by James T. Webb, Ph.D. and Kathleen M. McNamara, Ph.D., 1981 Edition. Some text is paraphrazed, some is verbatim. If you are interested in this sort of thing, I highly recommend you find a book about the MMPI yourself. The MMPI appears to have remained nearly unchanged since its initial publication in 1940. Some of the questions use phrases that have become relatively out-moded. 'Cutting up', for example, after long hours of thought and reflection could either mean fighting or making jokes. It has been used in both senses since 1940. 'Drop the Handkerchief' probably refers to something some people may only have seen in a Warner Bros. cartoon or very old movies. The Psychological Corporation owns the copyright to the test I used, and they regularly scramble around the questions so that whomever subscribes to it must buy new answer sheets, booklets and keys every few years. This is the main update that has probably been made to the test since the cost involved in validating a new test may be prohibitive. Making a profit is always the most important thing for any business. The MMPI is based on research by the University of Minnesota. Many thousands of hours of research by bored Minnesotan college students have gone into making the MMPI almost 60% accurate (over 40% inaccurate). The simplest (thus, most wide-spread) method of grading the MMPI is to look outside of the lines at 70 and 30 then note any field that meets or crosses these lines. If you have a lot of areas that are close or over, you're crazy. If all of the areas are near the middle of the lines, you're sane and reliable. This program can be used a bit like 'Cliff Notes' for studying to keep your scores near the center. An even better application is entertainment. It's usually a hit at most user group meetings. The data files and program most likely slipped onto the public domain at one of these meetings so I'll have to plead the fifth. * References to the T scale are to the scale at the sides of the graph. References to the raw score are to the list of scores given before the graph. .topic ParanoidPeople To The Paranoid Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß When each test is completed, it is automatically written out to a file, called 'BACKUP.ANS'. This file can be deleted at the DOS prompt and utterly purged from your disk with a disk wiping security program. Full source code is provided. (In case you can read C++). The last I saw it, there were no viruses attached. The program won't send cosmic radio signals to secret spy satelites to let the government know where you are. It doesn't read your mind, and won't know when you're lying. It's totally harmless and it won't possess your mind with demons. Guaranteed. .topic WhatIs_Q ? 'Question'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßß This is not a scale, and is not included in the program. In the test, this number represents the number of unanswered questions. Since all questions must be answered in the program, this scale is rendered meaningless. Large numbers of unanswered questions either invalidates the test or indicates error, obstinance or very confused (even pathological) thinking on the part of the testee. This is normally interpreted as the testee being an ass-hole and not being particularly cooperative. .topic WhatIs_F F 'Frequency'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßß (64 items) The F scale is made up items that were answered the same way by 90% of the people polled. Very high F scales indicate error, failure of the examinee to understand questions, or deliberately selecting random answers. T scores above 80 usually indicate an invalid test. It may also indicate someone who is faking and trying to look like he's insane. T scores 65-80 indicate markedly unconventional thinking, and appears in sullen rebellious or antisocial personalities. T scores <55 indicate the person is sincere, calm, dependant, honest, conventional, simple, etc. .topic WhatIs_K K 'Correction'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß (30 items)- The K scale is essentially another, more complex scale designed to measure what the Lie scale measures. High K scores (T>65) are people who resist psychological evaluation. It shows a fairly narcisitic personality. (T 50-65) Is the ideal area. These people are independant, enterprising, ingenious, resourceful, sociable, reasonable, etc. A low K score (T<45) shows a really bummed out person with a very poor self image. The F-K index- This is not a scale and is not included in the program directly. When raw K is subtracted from raw F, the result is interpreted as another validating tool. When (F-K)>+11, the examinee is deliberately trying to look really bad and fake symptoms. When (F-K)<-11, the examinee is deliberately trying to look really good and cover up symptoms. .topic WhatIs_Hs Hs 'Hypochondriasis'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 1 (Hs- 33 items) High scores (T>=65) are pessimistic, immature, stubborn, whiny, complaining pain in the asses. Relatively low scorers tend to be alert, capable and responsible, conscientious and maybe a bit moralistic. Very low scale (T<=40) indicate people who don't tend to care about themselves or who feel inferior to others. .topic WhatIs_D D 'Depression'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 2 (D- 60 items) This scale tends to reflect the examinees mood. High T tend to be anxious, depressed, retiring, silent, low morale, pessimistic, dejected, inability to concentrate and lack of self confidence. Low (T= 40-50) are active, alert, cheerful, enthusiastic, etc. .topic WhatIs_Hy Hy 'Hysteria.'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 3 (Hy- 60 items) High 3 people are typically conforming, immature, religeous, naive, and childishly self centered in outlook. Low scorers tend to be socially isolated, tough minded, cynical and generally dislike people in general. .topic WhatIs_Pd Pd 'Psychopathic Deviant'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 4 (Pd- 50 items) High 4 (T>70) people tend to be angry, rebellious, show disregard for the consequences of their actions, impulsiveness, poor social judgement and inability to plan ahead or see themselves as others see them. Often heavy drinking, poor work and marital adjustment is seen. Moderate elevations (T= 60-70) are common among teen-agers. Low scores (T<50) tend to be passive, dependant, and over- identify with social status. Frequently not very sexually aggresive, but affectionate and serious. .topic WhatIs_Mf Mf 'Masculinity-Femininity'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 5 (Mf- 60 items) An elevation on scale 5 is NEVER in its self a strong indication of homosexuality. Moreover, homosexuals who wish to conceal their inversions are able to do so with relative ease as far is this scale is concerned. This scale is approximately the same between males and females, the female scale simply being inverse of the male scale. (ie A high male score should reflect as a low female score). -High 5 males generally tend to reflect sophistication and aesthetic interests. -High 5 females tend to be vigorous, aggressive, dominating and competitive. -Low 5 males tend to be easygoing, adventurous, independant and aggressive. -Low 5 females tend to be passive, submissive, modest, yielding and demure. .topic WhatIs_Pa Pa 'Paranoia'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 6 (Pa- 40 items) High scorers in this area (T>80) almost always indicates paranoid people who are suspicious and brooding, harboring grudges, and feeling in some way that they're not getting what's coming to them. Elevated scorers (T=60-75) tend to be overly sensitive to others and take criticism more seriously than others. Low scores (T<40) tend to be stubborn, evasive, and wary. They may feel that dire consequences will fall should they reveal themselves in any way. .topic WhatIs_Pt Pt 'Psychastenia'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 7 (Pt- 48 items) High scorers tend to be obsessionally worried, tense, indecisive, and unable to concentrate. Low scorers tend to be independant, relaxed, self confident and secure. .topic WhatIs_Sc Sc 'Schizophrenia'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 8 (Sc- 78 items) Caution should be used in interpreting this scale- its elevation does not necessarily show that someone is schizophrenic. It deals more with alienation, isolation, bizarre feelings and general dissatisfaction. High 8 people almost always feel alienated, misunderstood and not a part of the general social environment. They have fundamental and disturbing questions about their own place in this world and are confused as to how go about being a part of it. Many feel they lack something basic that is the key to successful relations with others. Low 8 people tend to be compliant and overly accepting of authority. They tend to have a very practicle orientation, and are usually controlled and restrained, but friendly and adaptable. .topic WhatIs_Ma Ma 'Hypomania'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 9 (Ma- 46 items) High scorers in this area tend to be energetic, expansive, generally outgoing and uninhibited. They tend to be easily offended and may seem to be hyperactive. T>70 suggests maladaptive hyperactivity, grandiosity, verbosity and irritablility. Low scorers (T<45) show a low energy level, listlessness and apathy. Typically, they find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. .topic WhatIs_Si Si 'Social introversion'Ü ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Scale 0 (Si- 70 items) High scorers (T>65) tend to be withdrawn, aloof, and anxious in contact with people. Elevated scores shows a lack of social support for a person. Low scorers (T<45) tend to be warm, active people who are active, assertive and involved in groups. A low score in this area indicates a social competence and adaptiveness. .topic WhatIs_L L 'Lie'Ü ßßßßßßß (15 items)- The L scale is composed of questions that someone who may attempt to give an overly perfect view of themselves may answer. One is, 'I do not always tell the truth'. A false answer to this would increase the score in this area since almost everyone lies some time. .topic TheMenace The Psychotic MenaceÜ ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Not that I had anything better to do. This program was originally written as a personal exercise to learn C. The original version came out for the Atari ST some time in 1990. Now it's some time in 1992, I have a new PC Clone, with a new C++ compiler, and a whole new pile of C libraries to sort out. Naturally, this ended up getting translated. Watch for a 'Windows' version some time in the near-term. My appreciation to the man who loaned me his copy of the MMPI.