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┬атАвProjective tests of personality are widely used by psychologists.
тАвProjective techniques are most indirect method to assess personality.
тАвPsycho analytic theory proposed that behaviour is also determined by unconscious forces.
тАвThe projective techniques were developed to assess unconscious motives and feelings.
тАФ The stimulus material is relative or fully unstructured and poorly defined.
тАФ The person being assessed is usually not told the purpose and the method of scoring and interpretation before the administration of test. тАФ The person is informed that there are no right or wrong responses.
тАФ Each response is considered to reveal a true and significant aspect of personality.
тАФ The scoring and interpretation in projective assessment are lengthy and subjective.
Projective Techniques
тАФ Developed to assess unconscious motives, feelings and conflicts.
тАФ A less structured or unstructured stimulus or situation will allow the individual to project his/her feelings, desires and needs on to that situation,
тАФ Projections are interpreted by experts.
тАФ Cannot be scored objectively, require qualitative analysis for which a rigorous training is needed.
1.The Rorschach Inkblot Test (Hermann Rorschach)
тАвConsists of 10 inkblotsтАФ5 black and white, 2 with red ink, 3 in pastel colours.
тАвBlots are symmetrical in design with a specific shape or form, made by dropping ink on a piece of paper and then folding the paper in half (hence called inkblot test).
тАвThe cards are administered individually in two phases:
тАФPerformance proper: The subjects are shown the cards and are asked to tell what they see in each of them.
тАФInquiry: A detailed report of the response is prepared by asking the subject to tell where, how, and on what basis was a particular response made.
тАвFine judgment is necessary to place the subjectтАЩs responses in a meaningful context. Use and interpretation of this test requires extensive training
2. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Morgan and Murray
тАвThis test consists of 30 black and white picture cards and one blank cardтАФeach picture card depicts one or more people in a variety of situations.
тАв Some cards are used specifically with adult males or females, boys or girlsтАФhave been modified for the children and the aged.
тАвThe cards are presented one at a time and the subject is asked to tell a story describing the situation presented in the pictureтАФwhat led up to the situation, what is happening at the moment, what will happen in the future, what the characters are feeling and thinking?
тАвUma ChaudhuryтАЩs Indian adaptation of TAT is also available.
3.RosenzweigтАЩs Picture-Frustration Study (P-F Study)
тАв This study assesses how people express aggression in the face of a frustrating situation.
тАвPresents with the help of cartoon-like pictures a series of situations in which one person frustrates another, or calls attention to a frustrating condition.
тАвThe subject is asked to tell what the other (frustrated) person will say or do.
тАвThe analysis of responses is based on the type and direction of aggressionтАФexamine whether the focus is on the frustrating object (environment), or on protection of the frustrated person (oneself), or on constructive solution of the problem.
тАвPareek has adapted this test for the Indian population
4. Sentence Completion Test
тАвThis test makes use of a number of incomplete sentencesтАФthe starting part of the sentence is first presented and the subject has to provide an ending to the sentence.
тАвThe type of endings used by the subjects reflect their attitudes, motivation and conflicts.
тАвThe test provides subjects with several opportunities to reveal their underlying unconscious motivations.
5. Draw-a-Person Test
тАвIn this test, the subject is asked to draw a person on a sheet of paper and then a figure of an opposite sex person.
тАвFinally, the subject is asked to make a story about the person as if he/she was a character in a novel or play.
тАвSome examples of interpretations are as follows:
тАФ Omission of facial features suggests that the person tries to evade a highly conflict-ridden interpersonal relationships.
тАФ Graphic emphasis on the neck suggests lack of control over impulses.
тАФ Disproportionately large head suggests organic brain disease and pre-occupation with headaches. ..
Limitations
тАвInterpretation of the responses requires sophisticated skills and specialized training.
тАвThere are problems associated with the reliability of scoring and validity of interpretations.