Projective

Tests
 Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
•The Thematic Apperception Test, or TAT, is
a type of projective test that involves
describing ambiguous scenes to learn more
about a person's emotions, motivations,
and personality.

•Popularly known as the "picture

interpretation technique," it was developed
by American psychologists Henry A. Murray
and Christina D. Morgan at Harvard
University in the 1930s.
 Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
The TAT involves showing people a series of picture cards depicting a variety of ambiguous characters
(that may include men, women, and/or children), scenes, and situations.

They are then asked to

tell as dramatic a story as
they can for each picture
presented, including:

What has led up to the What is happening in the The thoughts and feelings
The outcome of the story.
event shown. scene. of characters.
 Murray’s Theory of Personality

In constructing the theory, Murray emphasizes the

biological basis as well as the social and
environmental determinants of behaviour. He is
also consistently aware of how individuals
interact with their environment.

SELF . ENVIRONMENT = BEHAVIOUR

 General Conditions

• To be administered in an interpersonal

setting.

• Indian version of TAT materials consists of

13 cards on which ambiguous pictures are

presented. (Dr. Uma Choudhary, 1960)

Why is TAT used?

• To learn more about a person.

• To help people express their feelings.
• Identify the emotion.
• To explore themes related to the person’s
life experiences.
• To assess someone for psychological
conditions.
• To evaluate crime suspects.
• Assess the risk of recidivism.
• To screen job candidates.
 • The TAT is often criticized for not being standardized, meaning
there are no rules of administration or formal scoring system.
Criticism of • Clinicians often vary in how they administer the test.
• Additionally, few practitioners use Murray's complex scoring
Thematic system and instead rely on their subjective interpretation and
clinical opinion.
Apperception •For example, even if clinicians use the same scoring system, they may
Test (TAT) use different cards or a different number of cards. This makes it
incredibly difficult to obtain estimates of reliability and validity, and
almost impossible to compare results.
 Word Association Tests (WAT)

• Word association is connected with the work that Carl Gustav Jung was engaged in at
the Burghölzli Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Zurich in the early stages of his
career.
• Under the directorship of Eugen Bleuler, the Burghölzli Psychiatric Clinic was an
international center of excellence in psychiatric research at the turn of the century.
• Jung became director of research on the Word Association Test.
 Word Association Tests (WAT)

• This test usually consists of a hundred stimulus words that were read out singly to a
subject who was to "answer as quickly as possible with the first word that occurs to
you."
• The reaction time, verbal response, and test behavior are recorded and analyzed.
Verbal responses are classified according to several linguistic categories.
• The test is used to diagnose psychological typology and psychopathology.
Word Association Tests (WAT)

Dark Flower Run Fear

Overcome Failure Water Wind

War Friend Hero

Sack’s Sentence Completion Test
Dr. Joseph M. Sacks and other
psychologist of the New York
Veterans Administrative Mental
Hygiene Service developed a
sentence completion test designed
to obtain significant clinical material
in four representative areas of
adjustment.
Sentence completion tests typically
provide respondents with
beginnings of sentences, referred to
as "stems," and respondents then
complete the sentences in ways
that are meaningful to them.
 SACK’S SENTENCE Completion Test
The sentence completion method asks responders to finish sentences that have been left unfinished.
These statements are typically written in the third person and have a propensity for ambiguity.
Depending on the respondent’s personality, the following sentences, for example, would be completed in a
variety of striking ways:

“A beach getaway is…”

“Visiting the mountains for vacation is…”
“The purpose of golf is…”
“The typical individual thinks of skiing…”
“Museum visitors tend to be…”
SACK’S SENTENCE Completion Test
SCALE FAMILY: The family area included three sets of attitudes namely: a)
those towards mother, b) father, and c) family unit.

SEX: The sex area includes attitudes towards men, woman and
heterosexual relationship.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP: The area of interpersonal relationship

includes attitudes towards friends and acquaintances, colleagues at
work or school, superior at work or school, and people supervised.

SELF-CONCEPT: The area of self-concept includes fear, guilt feelings,

goals and attitudes towards one's own ability, concept of himself as he
is, he was and as he hopes to be.
 Attitude towards Father items:
• 1. I feel that my father seldom works.
•16. If my father would do better.
•31. I wish that my father is dead. 46. I feel that my father is
no good.

EXAMPLE:  Those four responses are considered together, and

interpretative summary is made that crystallizes the
clinician's impression of the subjects' attitude towards in this
area. In this case, the summary stated: "Extreme hostility and
contempt or overt death wishes".
Uses
Personality Analysis Clinical Application

Attitude Assessment Achievement Motivation

Used in several disciplines,

Measurement of other including psychology,
constructs. management, education,
and marketing.
Thank You!