Since psychoanalytic theory suggests that a large part of human behaviour is governed by unconscious motives, which method can be used to uncover the unconscious part of one’s behaviour in order to understand the personality?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Projective Techniques
Option (1) Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire — Incorrect. Developed by Cattell, the 16 PF is a self-report measure: the subject responds to declarative statements by choosing from given alternatives. Such direct methods rely on what the person consciously reports.
Option (2) The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) — Incorrect. The MMPI, by Hathaway and McKinley, is a self-report inventory in which the subject judges each statement as ‘true’ or ‘false’ for herself or himself. It is widely used in psychiatric diagnosis but it does not reach unconscious motives.
Option (3) Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) — Incorrect. The EPQ is another self-report questionnaire, which assesses dimensions such as introversion-extraversion and emotional stability.
Option (4) Projective Techniques — Correct. Direct methods of assessment cannot uncover the unconscious part of behaviour, because people know they are being assessed and answer in a socially desirable way. Projective techniques were developed to assess unconscious motives and feelings: a less structured stimulus lets the person project her or his feelings, desires and needs on to it, and experts interpret these projections.
NCERT (2025-26): “Projective Techniques … The techniques of personality assessment described so far are known as direct techniques, because they tend to rely on information directly obtained from the person who clearly knows that her/his personality is being assessed. In these situations, people generally become self-conscious and hesitate to share their private feelings, thoughts, and motivations. When they do so, they often do it in a socially desirable manner. The psychoanalytic theory tells us that a large part of human behaviour is governed by unconscious motives. Direct methods of personality assessment cannot uncover the unconscious part of our behaviour. Hence, they fail to provide us with a real picture of an individual’s personality. These problems can be overcome by using indirect methods of assessment. Projective techniques fall in this category.…” “…Projective techniques were developed to assess unconscious motives and feelings. These techniques are based on the assumption that a less structured or unstructured stimulus or situation will allow the individual to project her/his feelings, desires and needs on to that situation. These projections are interpreted by experts.…” |