Thematic Apperception Test Prepared by:Ms.

Rushna Siddiqui

Course Title:

Psychological Assessment

Course Code:

PSY-4252

Course Incharge:

Ms.Rushna Siddiqui
associate clinical psychologist & cooperative lecturer

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Topic OVERVIEW
Thematic Apperception Test

 Theoretical Perspectives
 List of Murray’s Needs & Press
 Cards of TAT

Objective:

Objective of teaching this chapter is to develop an understanding about psychological

assessment, it’s administration and interpretation among students.

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PROJECTIVE TESTS
THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST (tat)

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Murray’s Needs & Presses

for the TAT

NEEDS THAT ARISE FROM THE HERO/HEROINE

NEEDS Motivated by Desire for Power, Property, Prestige, Knowledge, Creativity

ACHIEVEMENT To work toward a goal with energy, persistence, and singleness of

purpose. To set high standards for oneself and work independently
toward realizing these standards. To overcome obstacles or master
and manipulate objects, situations, orpeople. To accomplish or work
persistently at a difficult task. To be ambitious, competitive,
aspiring.
ACQUISITION (SOCIAL): To work for money, material possessions, or valuable
objects. A desire for economic mobility. To bargain or gamble.
Greed or acquisitiveness.

(ASOCIAL): To steal, cheat, rob, forage, or swindle. Greed, which

in order to accomplish this goal, causes harm to others or involves
breaking some ethical principle or law. The desired goal may be
money, an object, or even a person (e.g., during a kidnapping).
AGGRESSION (EMOTIONAL/VERBAL): To have a verbal fight or argument
with another person. To become angry at, ridicule, blame
criticize, or curse. This may be expressed publicly by a speech
or in writing.

(PHYSICAL/SOCIAL): To kill or defend oneself in self-defense.

To avenge an attack that was unwarranted and unprovoked. To
defend one’s country, for example, during war or to become
physically aggressive while upholding the law. Activity that is
revolutionary may be on the threshold between social and asocial.

(PHYSICAL/ASOCIAL): Aggression against some legal or moral

standard or expressed without being provoked, such as in criminal
activity. To fight legal authorities or authority figures. To initiate a
brawl, turn traitor, or express sadistic behavior.

(DESTRUCTION): To attack or maim. To destroy, smash,

vandalize, or burn.
CONSTRUCTION To organize, build, create, or place something in new order.
COUNTERACTION To make up for a previous failure or disappointment. To
overcompensate for a weakness or to have a determination to
overcome. It depends on a response to a previous failure or
humiliation. To repress fear or keep one’s self-respect. To be

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resolute, determined, indomitable, dauntless, dogged, or

adventurous as a reaction to an earlier difficult situation.
DOMINANCE To control, influence, or direct one’s human environment. This
may involve being forceful, persuasive, assertive, masterful,
decisive, or authoritative. To prevail upon, sway, lead, judge, set
standards, induce, restrain, prohibit, manage, or govern.
EXPOSITION To relate information in an instructive or informative manner. To
explain, lecture, interpret, instruct, teach. Merely telling something to
another person in a casual or routine manner is not sufficient. It is
commonly fused with nDominance
nRecognition, or nAchievement.
RECOGNITION To seek praise, prestige, appreciation, or attention. Making oneself
conspicuous; dramatizing or performing. To boast or brag. The
examiner should ask him/herself whether the hero/heroines main
motive is getting something done, in which case it would be scored
as nAchievement or actually being noticed.
UNDERSTANDING Striving for knowledge or wisdom. To attempt to understand the
relationship between one object or event and another. Discussion
and argumentation with the goal directed toward increasing
knowledge. Attempting to make thought correspond with fact. To
analyze events and generalize.

NEEDS Motivated by Affection, Admiration, Sympathy, Love, Dependence

AFFILIATION (ASSOCIATIVE): To establish friendly relations. This may be

focal, in which case the need is directed toward affectionate
feelings for specific people. It may also be diffuse, in which case
the feeling is directed toward all sorts of people, such as groups or
organizations.

(EMOTIONAL): Feelings of strong attachment, closeness,

affection, or respect toward another person. This may include
getting married, remaining faithful, or falling in love.
DEFERENCE (COMPLIANCE): Quick to agree or cooperate. To obey the
wishes or suggestions of another person. A willingness to please or
follow another’s leadership. It may be necessary at times to
distinguish nDeference from nAbasement, in which there is
compliance, but it is unwilling.

(RESPECT): To give praise to or to express admiration toward.

Hero worship orthe acknowledgement of merit or talent. Dedication
to a cause.
NURTURANCE To give sympathy to or to gratify the needs of another. To help, feed,
support, console, protect, or comfort those who are in need. Kindness,
consideration, protection. To encourage and further the welfare of
those who are helpless. This may include being liberal with time,
energy, or money as a means of helping others. Giving freedom,
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condoning, or being lenient.

SEX To have or attempt to have a sexual relationship. To make sexual

advances toward or seduce. Enjoying the company of members of the
opposite sex (or to whom the person is physically attracted), being
fond of mixed parties and dancing. To fall in love. This may
commonly be fused with nAffliation (emotional) or, if not fused,
should be distinguished from nAffiliation (emotional).
SUCCORANCE A tendency to cry, plead, ask for help, protection, or love. Being
dependent, helpless, and perhaps capitalizing on one’s mishaps. To
crave affection or tenderness and accept favors without hesitation.
To have a close and devoted protector or supported. Seeking to be
nursed, sustained, supported, advised, guided, indulged, forgiven, or
consoled. Someone with an nNurturance satisfies the hero/heroine’s
succorance, although intra-nurturance may also be evident in an
individual who derives some enjoyment as a result of his or her
grief or seeksconsolation through drugs, alcohol, food, etc.

NEEDS Motivated by Desire for Freedom, Change, Excitement, Play

AUTONOMY (FREEDOM): To escape, shake off restraint, or become

independent. To be unattached or unrestrained. To avoid all
encumbering alliances or terminate a confining relationship. To
wander, drop out, leave school, break off a relationship. To fight or
argue for liberty in a positive way. Determination to remain
independent.

(RESISTANCE): To refuse to comply with the demands of

another. Negativism and defiance. Resistance toward coercion. To
be “stubborn as a mule.” To be obstinate, to disobey one’s parents,
or to present revolutionary ideas.

(ASOCIAL): To express behavior that is not allowed and is

punishable. Behavior that is disorderly, unruly, and counter to moral
or social standards. Lying, cheating, whoring, stealing, drinking.
Crimes other than stealing, since stealing would be classified as
nAcquisition.
CHANGE/TRAVEL To feel a sense of restlessness and a need to experience new lands or
ADVENTURE novel situations. To dream of exploring and having novel adventures.
This need is commonly fused with nAutonomy.

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EXCITANCE / To act in a way that creates emotional excitement. This may

DISSIPATION involve travel (nChange), gambling (nAcquisition), involvement
with drugs or alcohol (nNurturance), or recklessly meeting
danger. What distinguishes nExcitance/Dissipation from such
needs as nChange or nAcquisition is its emphasis on emotional
excitement, although these needs are frequently fused.
PLAY To act for “fun” and without a purpose other than amusement. To
laugh, make jokes, play games, be jolly, merry, and easygoing.
This may include sports, dancing, drinking, clowning, or make-
believe activity. Meeting situations in a lighthearted and jovial
manner. However, in those cases in which the game is
taken seriously, such as in athletic competition, a score is given for
nAchievement rather than nPlay

MISCELLANEOUS NEEDS

ABASEMENT To submit passively to an external force. To accept injury, blame,

criticism, punishment, or to feel guilt and inferiority. To adopt an
attitude that is passive, humble, meek, servile. Resignation or shame.
To endure ordeals without attempts to counteract. Common fusions
are with nSuccorance, nDeference, ornSex, as in the case of
masochism.
BLAME To act in such a way as to avoid blame or rejection. To fear reproach;
AVOIDANCE to inhibit one’s asocial impulses. To avoid blame or punishment by
refraining from misbehavior. To confess, apologize, atone, or repent
in order to avoid more blame. This may involve being conventional,
remorseful, apologetic, dutiful, orconscientious.
COGNIZANCE To express curiosity, search, investigate, explore, or act as a
detective. To watch or gaze intently. Voyeurism. To ask questions,
satisfy one’s curiosity, look, listen, inspect. To read and seek
knowledge. Common fusions occur with nUnderstanding,
nChange, and nAchievement.
HARM To avoid physical pain, withdraw, flee, or conceal oneself from
AVOIDANCE persons or objects who are attempting to inflict injury. This includes
“startle” and “fear” reactions to such things as loud noises, loss of
support, or the sudden appearance of strangers. To escape from a
dangerous situation. To take precautionary measures. To be fearful,
anxious, timid, cautious, wary, prudent, vigilant. To run away when
chased by a dangerous animal or enemy. However, if the
hero/heroine purposefully places him/herself in a situation of danger,
even is s/he takes precautionary measures to avoid being killed or
injured, this should not be scored as nHarm Avoidance, but rather as
nExcitance/Dissipation.
PASSIVITY To seek or enjoy quiet, rest, tranquility, peacefulness. To feel tired,
apathetic, lazy. To need quiet contemplation, meditation, or
reflection.

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REJECTION To snub, ignore, or exclude others. To remain aloof and

indifferent, or be discriminating in accepting others. To exclude,
abandon, expel, or criticize. To demand a high standard of ability,
intelligence, wit, or imagination. To reject a suitor, break with a
friend, or withhold love. This is commonly fused with nPassivity
or nAggression. nRejection may also become directed inward, thus
becoming fused with nAbasement, perhaps resulting in feelings of
depression or suicidal ideation.
RETENTION To hold onto something, refuse to lend, to be possessive, miserly, and
unwilling to give time, energy, and affection to other. To hoard or
collect objects or another person, with possessive love.
SENTIENCE To seek and enjoy sensuous impressions. To have delicate, sensitive
perceptions. To perceive and comment upon the sensuous quality of
objects. To remark upon the atmosphere, temperature, colors in the
room, pictures, various sounds, tastes, or odors. A genuine delight
in one or more of the arts. May be fused with nSex (erotic
sentience), nConstruction (enjoying composition or creativity) or
nRecognition (performing in public).

OTHER FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED INNER STATES:

CONFLICT A state in which two inner forces are pulling against another;
uncertainty, indecision. This may also include the conflict
created by two opposing needs.
EMOTIONAL To show an alteration in mood or attitude toward something or
CHANGE someone. To belabile, inconsistent, moody, or unstable.
ELATION Happiness, joyful enthusiasm, optimism, excitement, a positive
outlook.
DEJECTION Disappointment, discouragement, sadness, depression, melancholy,
despair.
DISTRUST To have no confidence in, to be suspicious of, to be skeptical of.
Refusing to accept other people’s ideas, suggestions, or advice due to
distrust. This may often be associated with nRejection or nAutonomy
JEALOUSY To be afraid that a lover person will prefer or love another person.
Envy.
IRREALITY Visions or hallucinations. Reveries about the future or daydreams
about the past. Entering into a hypnotic state.
EGO IDEAL, Having a high opinion of one’s own self worth. To keep one’s self-
PRIDE respect or to dream of a great future.
SUPEREGO To be controlled by a conscience that demands a high moral standard.

PRESS of Deprivation

ACQUISITION A person wants to dispossess the hero/heroine of money or property or

rob or swindle him or her. For example, a competitor in business
threatens the hero or heroine’s financial security.

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RETENTION A person retains something the hero/heroine wants, refuses to

let it go or to give something to the hero/heroine; is stingy,
miserly, or possessive

PRESS Decriptive of an Empty, Alien, or Rejecting Environment

LACK (THINGS/OPPORTUNITIES/FRIENDS): Few desirable objects are in

the environment, few opportunities for enjoyment or advancement, or no
jobs. The hero/heroine is poor, and the family destitute, or the
hero/heroine lacks status, influence, and/or friends.

(HUMAN SUPPORT): The hero/heroine is miserable, solitary,

helpless, and in need of assistance and support, encouragement,
protection, food, medical care, or parental love and guidance. The
hero/heroine has no father or mother. The situation is insecure and
perilous, or the hero/heroine is homesick. There are few nurturing
people in the hero/heroine’s environment.
LOSS This is the same as for pLack, except in this case, the hero/heroine
actually loses something or someone, such as money, job, friend, or
opportunity. This could include the loss of a loved one by departure,
misfortune, or death. Another example is the loss of property through
bankruptcy, misfortune, swindling, or robbery. If the hero/heroine
loses something and also experiences a sense of loss over an extended
period of time, then a score on pLack should also be given.
REJECTION A person rejects, scorns, loses respect for, repudiates, turns away, or
otherwise leaves
the hero/heroine.
UNCONGENIAL (ALIEN OBJECTS): The people in the hero/heroine’s environment are
ENVIRONMENT not to his or her liking; there is no mutual sympathy or understanding.
He or she finds no one in accord with his or her interests. There are
people around him or her, but they dislike, reject, distrust, accuse, or
disapprove of him or her. This refers to the hero/heroine’s general
human environment and not to one or two specific people within his or
her environment. For example, this may be used to describe an overall
feeling within an organization or community that rejects or is out of
sympathy with the hero/heroine.

(PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS): The hero/heroine is dissatisfied with

his or her physical environment and hates the farm, city, the sea, or the
islands on which he or she is marooned. The environment is distrustful,
ugly, sordid, dreary, barren (pLack), noisy, or dangerous.

(MONOTONY): The hero/heroine must submit to a dull routine; work is

drudgery. There is great “sameness” in his/her life, causing boredom.

PRESS of Coercion and Restraint

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DOMINANCE (COERCION): Someone tries to force the hero/heroine to do

something. He or she is exposed to commands, orders, or strong
arguments from a parent or authority.

(RESTRAINT): Someone tries to prevent the hero/heroine from doing

something. He or she is exposed to checks, prohibitions, or restraints.

(INDUCEMENT): Someone tries to get the hero/heroine to do

something, or to not do something, by pleading, or gentle persuasion,
encouragement, clever strategy
IMPOSED TASK The hero/heroine is given something to do: he or she must practice the
DUTY OR violin, study for an examination, accomplish something to keep his or
TRAINING her job, or win a reward. If the agent who imposes the task is named,
then a score is also given to
pDominance(coercion).

PRESS Descriptive of a Hostile Aggressive Environment

AGGRESSION (EMOTIONAL/VERBAL): Someone gets angry at the hero/heroine

or hates him or her. He or she is cursed, criticized, belittled, reproved,
reprimanded, or ridiculed. Someone slanders the hero/heroine behind
his or her back.

(PHYSICAL, SOCIAL): The hero/heroine is in the wrong and is an

aggressor or criminal. Another person defends him or herself,
retaliates, pursues, imprisons, orperhaps kills the hero/heroine. The
state, the police, a parent, or some other legitimate authority punishes
the hero/heroine for misconduct.

(PHYSICAL, ASOCIAL): A criminal or gang assaults, injures, or

kills the hero/ heroine. Another person starts a fight and the
hero/heroine defends him or herself.

(DESTRUCTION): Something belonging to the hero/heroine is

damaged ordestroyed.

PRESS of Danger, Injury, Death

AFFLICTION (PHYSICAL): The hero/heroine has a physical handicap such as a

hunchback, or chronic ailment. He or she is taken ill during the
course of the story.

(MENTAL): The hero/heroine suffers from neurotic or psychotic

symptoms. He or she is subject to hallucinations or obsessions,
experiences premonitions of insanity, or is justifiably considered very
strange.

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DEATH OF This is weighted according to the stress paced on the event. The
HERO/ hero/heroine may die from physical or mental illness (pAffliction)
HEROINE from physical injury, from pAggression or may commit suicide
(pAbasement)
PHYSICAL (ACTIVE): The hero/heroine is exposed to physical danger from
DANGER nonhuman forms. He or she is attacked by animals, caught in a storm
at sea, hit by a train, or struck by lightning. He or she is exposed to
tremendous bombardment. The danger may be small as a threat, or it
may actually injure or kill the hero/heroine.

(INSUPPORT): The hero/heroine is exposed to the danger of falling or

drowning, his or her car overturns, his or her ship is wrecked, he or she
is caught on the narrow ledge of a steep mountain, the ground is
insecure.
PHYSICAL The hero/heroine is hurt by a human aggressor (pAggression), by a
INJURY cave-in, collision, or fall (pPhysical Danger), or by a wild animal.
The hero/heroine is mutilated or disfigured.

PRESS of Friendliness, Sympathy, Respect, Dependent, Love

AFFILIATION (ASSOCIATIVE): The hero/heroine has one or more friends or

sociable companions; he or she is a member of a congenial group.

(EMOTIONAL): A person, such as a parent, sibling, relative, or

erotic object is devoted to the hero/heroine. The hero/heroine has a
love affair that is reciprocated, or the hero/heroine gets married.
DEFERENCE (COMPLIANCE): An individual or a group willingly follows the
leadership orrequests of the hero/heroine. A person is anxious to
please him or her, to cooperate, or to obey. The obedience may be
passive.

(RESPECT): The hero/heroine is admired by an individual or group.

His or her talents or merits are appreciated; he or she is rewarded or
publicly applauded.
NURTURANCE Someone nourishes, encourages, protects, or cares for the hero/heroine.
He or she receives sympathy, consolation, pity.

SEX Another person is in love with the hero/heroine, or his or her

affections are engaged by a seductress/seducer. The
hero/heroine gets married.

SUCCORANCE Someone seeks aid, protection, or sympathy from the hero/heroine.

There is a helpless, miserable, pitiful object to whom the hero/heroine
reacts. Someone is rescued by the hero/heroine.

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MISCELLANEOUS PRESS
BIRTH OF A child is born to the hero/heroine, or a woman is going to have a
OFFSPRING baby. The amount of weight given to this press depends on the
relative importance of the birth to the overall story.
CLAUSTRUM The hero/heroine finds him or herself in a confining space, such as a
solitary hideout, house, deep valley, or cave. The hero/heroine might
be locked in his or her room, imprisoned, trapped in a cave-in, or
confined in a space such as a house, vault, or tunnel. The hero/heroine
seeks to enter, tries to break out of, or is forcibly expelled from, such a
place.
COGNIZANCE Someone is curious about the hero/heroine and his or her doings; the
hero/heroine is watched. Someone peers or proved into his or her
affairs, asks questions.
EXAMPLE (GOOD INFLUENCE): A person, group, or case (social ideal,
philosophical) influences the hero/heroine in a constructive way. A
talented person serves as an example.

(BAD INFLUENCE): The hero/heroine is led into crime by his or her

associates; the level of the hero/heroine’s conduct or his or her ideals is
lowered by following the suggestions or inducements of an
untrustworthy or irresponsible person.
EXPOSITION Someone tells, explains, interprets, or teaches the hero/heroine
something.

LUCK (GOOD, GRATUITY): The hero/heroine is unusually privileged; he or

she has everything he or she wants (status, wealth, friends). The
hero/heroine is suddenly benefited by some unusual or unpredicted
chance occurrence, or by some extra- ordinary opportunity that does not
result from his or her own efforts. Although the hero/heroine may be
deserving of the good fortune, he or she did not work directly for it. A
benefactor is attracted by the hero/heroine’s promise, and his or her
ambitions are aided by another person, which would also involve
pNurturance.

(BAD): Fortune is against the hero/heroine. He or she is

underprivileged from the start, must endure an extraordinary series of
misfortunes, or is suddenly confronted by a chance occurrence that
serves to hinder or frustrate his or her efforts.
However, the coercion from such sources as parents or enemies is not
considered bad luck. In determining whether to score this press, the
examiner should question the extent to which fate, chance, or destiny
played a part in the character’s life.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADMINISTERING TAT

The examiner will show some pictures one at a time, and the subject will be making a
dramatic story as he/she can for each picture card. 50 minutes for 10 pictures. The following
story structure must be obtained:

current situation ;
what is happening at the moment?

thoughts and feelings of the character (s);

what the characters are feeling and thinking?

preceding events;
what has led up to the event shown in the picture?

outcome ;
what was the outcome?

Procedures:

TIME

Time measured should begin when the picture is first presented and end when the subject begins
his or her story.

RECORDING

a subject’s complete responses should be recorded, along with any noteworthy behavioral
observations: exclamation, pauses, blushing, degree of involvement, and change in voice
inflection.

QUESTIONING AND INQUIRY

To produce an unhampered and free-flow of the subject’s fantasy material.

ORDER OF PRESENTATION

Usually, the cards should be administered according to their sequential numbering system.

H.A Murray, 1943 scoring the TAT involves evaluating the following five different aspects of
the stories:

The Hero. Scoring for the hero involves identifying who is central character(s) in the story

Need of the Hero. For Murray, it was also critical to identify the needs, motives and desire of the
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hero.

Identifying the presses. A press refer to any important environmental factor that may influence
or interfere with the need of the hero.

Example: (parents or boss), (the lock on the door is broken)

Scoring for themes. Scoring for themes in TAT stories involves noting the nature of the
interplay and conflict between the needs and presses, the types of emotion elicited by this
conflict, and the way the conflict is resolved.

Scoring for outcome. Scoring for the outcome of the story involves analyzing how the stories
end by noting a happy versus unhappy ending and assessing the extent to which the ending is
controlled by the strengths of the hero and forces in the environment.
In interpreting the responses of the TAT, the examiners typically focus their attention on one of
the three (3) areas:

•The content of the stories that the subject tells;

•The feeling or the tone of the stories;
•The subject’s behavior apart from responses. These behavior may include: Verbal Remarks (e.g.
comments about feeling stressed by situation or not being good story teller) as well as Nonverbal
Actions or Signs (e.g. difficulties making an eye contact with the examiner, etc.)

Advantages

 Offers access to the covert and deeper structures of an individual’s personality.

 Less susceptibility to faking because the purpose of projective techniques is usually
disguised.
 Intrinsically interesting and nonthreatening.

Disadvantages

 Difficulty establishing adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability.

 The effectiveness of the technique is often more dependent on the clinician’s individual
skill than on the quality.
 Sensitive to situational variables such as mood, stress, sleep deprivation, and differences
in instruction.

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CARDS OF THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST

(tat)

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Picture 1:

b
o
y

i
s

s
i
t
t

Card 1: A boy is sitting at a table looking at a violin placed in

front of him.

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Picture 2 : Country scene with a woman holding a book in the

foreground. In the background, a man is working a field while a
woman watches.
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General Discussion

 This is the only card in the series that presents the group scene andgives
information relating to how the individual deals with the challenge of
people living together.

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Picture 3BM : A boy is huddled next to a couch. On the floor next to him is an ambiguous
object that could be a set of keys or a revolver.

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General Discussion

 This is identified as one of the most useful pictures for itconcerns themes of guilt,
depression, aggression, and impulsive control.
• For example, if the object is described as a gun, is it used or intended to used
for:*Intra-aggression-the subject is going to use it to damage oneself, or Extra-
aggression-the subject has used it or going to use it to damage or harm another
person.
 This picture is particularly important for depressed patients, whether male or female,
because it can reveal important dynamics regarding the manner in which the
depression developed and how it is currently being maintained

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Picture 3GF : A woman is standing next to an open door with

one hand grabbing the side of the door and the other holding
her downcast face.

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General Discussion

 The same general trend that hold for Picture3BM are also true here, in that
both pictures tend to bring out depressive feelings.

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Picture 4 : A woman is grabbing the shoulders of a man who is turning away from her.

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General Discussion

 This picture typically elicits a good deal ofinformation

relating to the feelings and attitudes surrounding male-
female relationship.

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Picture 5 : A woman is looking into a room from the threshold of a door.

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General Discussion

This picture often reveals information surrounding attitudes about the subjects mother
in her role of observing and possibly judging behavior.It is important to note how the
woman is perceived and how the situation is resolved.

This card elicits paranoid fears of attack.

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Picture 6BM : An elderly woman is standing parallel to a

window. Behind her is a younger man with his face down. He is
holding onto his hat.

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General Discussion

It usually proves to be rich source of information regarding attitudes and feelings toward
their mother ormaternal figures in general.

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Picture 6GF : A young woman sitting on the edge of a sofa

looks back over her shoulder at an older man with a pipe in his
mouth who seems to be addressing her.

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General Discussion

This card was originally intended to be the female counterpart to Picture 6BM,, and it
was hoped thatit, too, would elicit attitudes and feelings toward paternal figures.
However, because the two figures are often seen as being about an equal age, the card
frequently does not accompilsh0 its intended purpose. When clear father-daughter
plots are not discussed, the picture reflects the subject’s style and approach to
instructed heterosexual relationship.

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Picture 7BM : An older man is looking at a younger man,

who appears to be peeringinto space.

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General Discussion

The picture deals with hierarchical personal relationships and

usually takes the form of an older , more experienced man
interacting with a younger, less experienced one. Thus, the card
can clearly show how the subject deals with external demands
and attitudes toward authority

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Picture 7GF : A young girl is seated on a couchand is holding a

doll in her hands. Behind her is an older woman who appears to
be reading to her out of a book.

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General Discussion

When older women are the subjects, thepicture often elicits feelings
and attitudestoward children. Because both figures are looking away,
either figure is sometimes perceived as rejecting the other. Thus, the
card often elicits negative feelings and interactions,and it is important
to note how these feelings are resolved, expressed, or avoided

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Picture 8BM : A young boy in the foreground is staring directly

out of the picture. In the background is a hazy image of two
men performing surgery on a patient who is lying down.

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General Discussion

The picture can be seen as a thinly veiled depiction of a young man’s oedipal
conflicts, with concomitant feelings of castration anxiety and hostility. Thus, it is
important to note what feelings the boy or the other characters in the story have
toward the older man performing the surgery.

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Picture 8GF : A woman is sitting on a chair staring into space

with her chin resting in herhand.

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General Discussion

This picture is difficult to generalize about. Typically, it produces somewhat shallow

stories ofa contemplative nature.

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Picture 9BM : Four men in a field are lying against one another.

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Picture 9GF : A woman in the foreground is standing behind a tree,

observing another woman who is running along a beach below.

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Picture 10 : One person is holding his or her head against another

person’s shoulder. Thegender of the two persons is not defined.

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Picture 11 : On a road in a chasm, several figures are proceeding

along a path toward abridge. Above them and against the side of a
cliff appears to be a dragon.

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Picture 12M : A man with his hand raised is standing above a boy
who is lying on a bedwith his eyes closed.

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Picture 12F : A portrait of a woman is in the foreground; an older

woman holding her chinis in the background.

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Picture 12BG : A country setting depicts a tree,with a rowboat

pulled up next to it. No human figures are present.

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Picture 13MF : A young man is standing in the foreground with his

head in his arms. In thebackground is a woman lying in a bed.

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Picture 13B : A boy is sitting in the doorway of a log cabin.

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Picture 13G : A girl is climbing a flight of stairs.

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Picture 14 : A person is silhouetted against a window.

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Picture 15 : A man is standing among tombstones with his hands clasped together.

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Picture 17BM : A naked man is climbing up (or down) a rope.

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Picture 17GF : A female is standing on a bridge over water.

Above the bridge is a tall building, and behind the building the
sun is shining from behind clouds.

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Picture 18BM : A man dressed in a long coat is being grabbed

from behind. Three hands arevisible.

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Picture 18GF : A woman has her hands aroundthe throat of another

woman. In the background is a flight of stairs.

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Picture 19 : A surreal depiction of clouds and a home covered with snow.

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Picture 20 : A hazy, nighttime picture of a man leaning against a lamppost.

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REFERENCES

Taken from Handbook of Psychological Assessment.

https://www.google.com.pk/search?q=tat+test+cards&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjxzK3e2qfvAh
UU0eAKHXFAANYQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=tat+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADIECAA
QQzICCAAyBAgAEEMyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAOgUIABCxA1CIgOwBWLOa7AFg77P
sAWgAcAB4BIAB2wKIAaYQkgEHMC40LjQuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nsAEA
wAEB&sclient=img&ei=oMVJYPH8GpSigwfxgIGwDQ&bih=757&biw=1600&hl=en#imgrc=
pBmsG3iWzgW_kM

http://www.dspmuranchi.ac.in/pdf/Blog/thematicapperceptiontest.pdf

https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/f/6160/files/2010/02/tat-needs-presses.pdf

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THE END

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