Varsity Don Proposes Psychological Tests For Political Contestants

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a professor of psychology at the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Benjamin Ehigie, has called for a psychological test to determine the mental states of political contestants and their appropriate placement into political positions.

At a press conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the Department of Psychology yesterday, the university don stressed that the “discipline of psychology plays a strategic, multi-faceted role in Nigeria’s socioeconomic, cultural, and structural development”

“Psychological tests could be used to determine the mental states of political contestants and their appropriate placement into political positions.

“Psychological testing and psychometric profiling play an increasingly critical role in elections, shifting from traditional demographic research to algorithmic micro-targeting and predictive voter behaviour modelling.

“Rather than relying purely on age, income, political campaigns could use psychological tests and digital data footprints to map the underlying personality traits of the electorate, and use psychological tests to determine the mental states of political contestants, and appropriate placement into political positions.”

Also speaking, the Head of the Department of Psychology, Professor Aderemi Alarape, tasked the federal government with investing in the psychology of radicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration as a way to solve the problems of banditry, insurgency, and communal strife.

While noting that “The government must integrate behavioural and psychological insights into public policy-making”, Professor Alarape said Nigeria must begin to treat the human mind as the greatest and most critical national resource.

He proposed the “Psychology for National Transformation (PNT) Agenda” to solve problems facing Nigeria.

“For too long, Nigeria has focused heavily on physical infrastructure while neglecting psychological infrastructure. We have focused on kinetic approaches to security while underutilising non-kinetic, psychological strategies.

“We have attempted economic reforms without understanding the behavioural and cognitive barriers that keep citizens in poverty.

“The government must integrate behavioural and psychological insights into public policy-making. The challenges of banditry, insurgency, and communal strife can not be solved by the barrel of the gun alone.

“We must invest in the psychology of radicalisation, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Furthermore, the government must establish a National Behavioural Insights Unit to ensure that policies (from taxation to health campaigns) are designed with a deep understanding of human behaviour and decision-making.

“Our society is increasingly fractious. We propose a nationwide scaling of psychological interventions that promote empathy, perspective-taking, and the Contact Hypothesis.

“We must actively dismantle the psychological roots of tribalism and prejudice by creating shared goals and fostering emotional intelligence.

“We must integrate school psychology and mental health counselling into our educational system to combat examination malpractice, cultism, and the rising epidemic of depression and suicide among young people.

“A mentally healthy student population is the engine of national development”, he added.

On the role of alumni in the development of the Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Professor Nyitor Shenge urged alumni to be involved in the areas of financial development, academic development, infrastructural development, mentorship and employment, governance and advocacy, lobby the government for grants that can be beneficial to the department, and serve as brand ambassadors

According to him, “alumni are an indispensable partner in every academic institution in a competitive world”.