I uncovered a character profile from some psychometric testing I did a couple of years ago. I’m generally sceptical about such things but this excerpt, from the section on how to interview me, is pretty close to the mark:
Expect logical answers as opposed to socially acceptable ones.In the event of rational stonewalling, do not hesitate to throw in some socially provocative questions.
There are a few subjects that I try my best to avoid debating, either because long experience tells me that you can’t sway people and the topic is just too emotive (fox-hunting, abortion); or I don’t know enough and really can see both sides (Irish Republicanism, for example).
Apart from that I’ll debate the hind-legs off a donkey. Ideas are important, and we make too many lazy assumptions (myself included). If I disagree with someone I swing between excessive combativeness and asking mild questions to draw out someone’s train of thought before putting their contradiction to them. Both are probably a bit mean. My favourite conversation using the latter technique though led to the girl I was talking to tell me that she thought global starvation was on the way because as people got richer there would be fewer and fewer farmers. I gently suggested she hadn’t considered the concept of supply and demand.
Posted by Pete Collins 
