Thematic Apperception Test Personality Assessment

Thematic Apperception Test for Personality Assessment Karen Y. Long Park University Test and Measurement September 2010 Abstract The history of the Thematic Apperception Test is controversial. This test was published in 1943 and is still widely used today. Being able to look at a photo card as a stimulus for storytelling was a breakthrough for personality testing. This test has its share of controversy as far as reliability, validity and cultural implications. Key words; thematic, validity, reliability, personality. Thematic Apperception Test for Personality Assessment Personality test has been around for over a century and new ones are still being produced. Two of the most frequently used personality test is the Rorschach Inkblot†¦show more content†¦Examples of the cards are a girl standing alone looking as if she had been frightened, and a young man and older man standing together with the older man pointing as if making a point or arguing with the younger man. The directions can be modified for children and adults with limited intelligence. The cards are kept faced down until needed. The examiner must record all the responses by hand or machine. In order to get all the nonverbal, you may have to take hand notes. This test is not scored like other test. Keep in mind that there are no right and wrong answers; there is no normative scoring system. Experts who use the test recommend that clinicians obtain background history including personal and medical information from the individuals in order to have a base to go on when evaluating the test. The original scoring system by Murray is deemed time-consuming and cumbersome and not used as much today. New scoring systems have been developed that use fewer variables â€Å"for examples, hostility or depression†. These new systems lack comprehensiveness but are good for clinical use. Two of the scoring systems are The Defense Mechanisms Manual (DMM) was developed to use with the TAT. It assesses three defenses: denial (least mature), projection (intermediate), and identification (most mature) as shown in the stories from the cards (The Defense MechanismShow MoreRelatedThe Tat: the Thematic Apperception Test Essay1506 Words   |  7 Pa gesThe TAT: The Thematic Apperception Test Suzette Lamb Argosy University The TAT test was developed in the 1930s by psychologists Henry A. Murray, Christiana D. Morgan and other colleagues at the Harvard Psychological Clinic. The TAT Test or Thematic Apperception Test is a projective psychological test used to explore the unconscious of an individual in order to reveal the underlying parts of personality, internal conflicts, motives and interests. 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