A personality test (consists of 30 black and white picture cards and one blank card) is used to assess certain key personality characteristics of an individual. The subject is asked to tell a story describing the situation presented in the picture. Which test is being referred to here?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Thematic apperception test
Option (1) Rorschach inkblot test — Incorrect. Developed by Hermann Rorschach, it uses 10 inkblots, not picture cards. The person says what she or he sees in each blot.
Option (2) Picture-frustration study — Incorrect. Rosenzweig’s test shows cartoon-like pictures of frustrating situations and asks what the frustrated person would say, to assess how people express aggression.
Option (3) Thematic apperception test — Correct. Developed by Morgan and Murray, the TAT consists of 30 black and white picture cards and one blank card, each picture showing one or more people in a situation. The subject is asked to tell a story about each picture: what led to the situation, what is happening, and how it will end.
Option (4) Sentence completion test — Incorrect. It gives the starting portions of incomplete sentences, which the person completes. It uses words, not pictures.
NCERT (2025-26): “Rorschach Inkblot Test … This test was developed by Hermann Rorschach. The test consists of 10 inkblots. Five of them are in black and white, two with some red ink, and the remaining three in some pastel colours. The blots are symmetrical in design with a specific shape or form. Each blot is printed in the centre of a white cardboard of about 7’´10’ size. The blots were originally made by dropping ink on a piece of paper and then folding the paper in half (hence called inkblot test).…” “The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) … This test was developed by Morgan and Murray. It is a little more structured than the Inkblot test. The test consists of 30 black and white picture cards and one blank card. Each picture card depicts one or more people in a variety of situations. Each picture is printed on a card. Some cards are used with adult males or females. Others are used with boys or girls. Still others are used in some combinations. Twenty cards are appropriate for a subject, although a lesser number of cards (even five) have also been successfully used. The cards are presented one at a time. The subject is asked to tell a story describing the situation presented in the picture: What led up to the situation, what is happening at the moment, what will happen in the future, and what the characters are feeling and thinking?…” “Rosenzweig’s Picture-Frustration Study (P-F Study) … This test was developed by Rosenzweig to assess how people express aggression in the face of a frustrating situation. The test presents with the help of cartoon like pictures a series of situations in which one person frustrates another, or calls attention to a frustrating condition.…” |