The Thematic Apperception Test

1. The Thematic Apperception Test Stella Miller University of Calgary EDPS 616

2. Outline • General Information • Test Contents • Test Development • Technical Aspects • Theoretical Orientation • Clinical Applications • Commentary

3. General Information • Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a projective technique… • ….involving projection based on ambiguous stimuli • …premised on projective hypothesis • Advantages of projective techniques • Assessing subconscious personality traits, needs and desires • It is felt that projective techniques provide insights into personality that could not be obtained otherwise

4. General Information • Popularity of the TAT • The test is reportedly widely used and formal training is recommended by many graduate program directors • History and Current Availability • The TAT was developed by Henry Murray, of Harvard University, with the assistance of Christiana Morgan • It is currently published by Pearson Assessment and may be purchased by qualified individuals – a high level of qualification is required to use the TAT

5. Test Contents • The current version of the TAT (Series D) consists of 31 picture cards and a manual • The images on the picture cards are intentionally ambiguous to facilitate free projection • The cards may be viewed at the following link: • http://s927.photobucket.com/user/Rotman/library/Thematic%20Apperception%20Test?sort=6&page=1

6. Test Contents • Murray established detailed test protocols, with choice of protocol determined by age and sex of the respondent • All respondents are asked to provide an imaginative story based on the picture cards • Current test protocol has this basic structure but is more flexible, and variable, than Murray intended

7. Test Contents • Interpretation of the TAT is usually a matter of clinical judgment – this was what Murray intended. • There are several standardized scoring schemes for the TAT but they do not appear to be widely used

8. Test Development • Most of the development work on the TAT occurred within 10 years of its introduction in 1935 • Key influences on the TAT: • Earlier picture-story tests, e.g. of Binet • Ideas of Carl Jung • Thomas Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel • http://kerrisdalegallery.com/print/breton-the-song-of-the-lark/bj002ph-jules-breton_the-song-of-the-lark/

9. Test Development • Editions of the TAT • Series A, B, C and D • Selection and preparation of images for inclusion in the TAT • Selection of images from the arts and popular media • Careful re-drawing of these images by Christiana Morgan and others

10. Technical Aspects • There has been widespread criticism of the scientific basis of the TAT • Response: efforts to standardize test administration and interpretation • Examples of criticisms of the TAT: • Criticisms of Vane (1981) • Criticisms of Lilienfeld, Wood and Garb (2000)

11. Theoretical Orientation • The adequacy of the TAT in explaining theoretical constructs depends on theoretical orientation – particularly, one’s views on personality, imaginative expression as an indicator of personality, etc. • The construct validity of the TAT has been debated • But even critics acknowledge that the TAT has construct validity when administered according to a structured scoring protocol focused on measuring a particular object or aspect of personality

12. Clinical Applications • The TAT continues to be a popular personality assessment technique and many clinicians believe it offers incremental utility (i.e., insights that cannot be obtained through other assessment methods) • The TAT is particularly widely used for assessment of needs for achievement, power and affiliation

13. Clinical Applications • The TAT has been widely used in research, and has been the subject of a number of empirical studies of its reliability and validity • There has been little research on the impact of culture on the validity of the TAT, specifically, but there are reasons for concern in using the test with clients from marginalized backgrounds

14. Commentary • Murray believed that TAT offers an “x-ray picture” of the soul of those who take it • Modern clinicians have more modest, qualified expectations • Criticism of the scientific basis of the test has had an impact • But many clinicians believe that the TAT continues to be useful • Use of the TAT requires clinicians to be mindful of its technical limitations and to exercise caution in using the test with clients from marginalized backgrounds

15. References • Conklin, A., & Westen, D. (2001). Thematic apperception test. In W. I. Dorfman and M. Hersen, eds., Understanding psychological assessment. New York, NY: Kluwer Academic. • Cramer, P. (1999). Future directions for the Thematic Apperception Test. Journal of Personality Assessment, 72(1), 74-92. doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa7201_5 • Groth-Marnat, G. (2009). Handbook of psychological assessment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. • Jung, C. (1961). Memories, dreams, reflections. New York, NY: Random House. • Lilienfeld, S. O., Wood, J. M., & Garb, H. N. (2000). The scientific status of projective techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 1(2), 27-66. doi: 10.1111/1529-1006.002 • Morgan, W. G. (2002). Origin and history of the earliest Thematic Apperception Test pictures. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79(3), 422-445. doi: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7903_03 • Vane, J. R. (1981). The Thematic Apperception Test: A review. Clinical Psychology Review, 1(3), 319-336. doi: 10.1016/0272-7358(81)90009-  • Wolfe, T. (1929). Look homeward, angel: A story of the buried life. New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.