NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 11, 2015

CONTACT: Gabriella Ellrich, gabriellaellrich@aol.com, 443-388-2878

F. Allan Hansons new book explores a cultural addiction

The consequence of cultural addiction to testing is discussed in the book Testing: Social
Consequences of the Examined Life.
College Park, Md.American culture values testing--in the classroom, at the workplace
and most importantly to determine futures. F. Allan Hanson, professor of anthropology at
the University of Maryland recently released his book on the subject of societies
addiction to tests called Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life.
The American preoccupation with testing has resulted in a panoply of techniques
dedicated to scanning, probing, weighing, pursuing and recording every last detail of our
personal traits and life experiences, author Hanson said. He recommends eliminating
most drug tests, intelligence and aptitude tests, and lie detector or integrity tests. In the
new book, Hanson uncovers a variety of hidden consequences- many of them unsavoryof tests commonly used in business and education.

Less than favorable testing techniques

There are some types of testing that can be discarded, according to Hansons book. He
recommends getting rid of the ACT, SAT and GMAT as application requirements as they
do not predict future behavior. He also warns against aptitude tests, which can have
negligible effects for those labeled as having a very high or low IQ, Hanson said.

Acceptable testing
Along with his critical remarks about certain testing techniques, Hanson sees the
need for others such as testing that measure performance, such as what a student learned
in class, or skills mastered for a job for instance.
Hanson summarized his argument when he said test takers cannot be analyzed for
future action or potential behavior, making certain types of testing invalid. To get your
copy of Testing Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life visit the university
bookstore located in STAMP Student Union. You can also learn more about the authorand
the university anthropology department at umdanthropology.com
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Diamondback Editor
Subject: Testing: a dangerous addiction?
We have all had terrible testing experiences, whether it is in school or before a
job, so why do we continue to test? According to Professor of anthropology at the
University of Maryland, F. Allen Hanson, American society is addicted to testing. In his
new book Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life, Hanson explores testing
techniques that need to be discarded, and those that are necessary.
Diamondback readers will be interested in this topic because it is relatable to the
everyday lives of college student. The college experience is made up of one test after
another, and the topics explored in Hansons book, such as IQ testing and the SAT or
ACT tests are of interest to college students.

Contacts/angles:
UMD anthropology department: (301)-405-1243
UMD counseling center (301)-314-7688
o Interview counselors about results of testing and test anxiety in students
ACT/ SAT contact: ACT@collegetesting.edu , SAT@collegetesting.edu
Thank you,
Gabriella Ellrich, gabriellaellrich@aol..com, (443)-388-2878
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