Question

Explain the following concept in 25 to 30 words:

Projective techniques

Answer 1

Projective methods emerged from the psychoanalytic school of thought. Projective methods are intended to uncover feelings, desires, and conflicts that are hidden at the unconscious level.

In projective test situations, an individual responds freely to relatively unstructured or ambiguous materials. While responding, individuals project their own personalities onto the unstructured stimulus, often revealing personal conflicts, motivations, coping styles, and other characteristics. Some of the major Projective tests are as follows:

1. Rorschach’s Ink-Blot Test: This test was developed by Hermann Rorschach in 1921. It uses ten irregular-inkblots (five in black and white, five in colour.) standing against a white background. Each inkblot is shown in a fixed number of ways and the subjects are asked to describe what they see in each card. The subjects are allowed to hold the card in any position they want, whether it’s upside down or sideways. Analysis of this test requires a trained and skillful examiner.
2. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): The TAT was developed by Morgan and Murray in 1935. It requires the individual to look at the picture and to interpret it by telling a story. The individual is invited to say what led up to the scene in the picture.
3. Sentence-completion test: In this test, an individual is given a series of incomplete (partial) sentences and he/she is asked to complete them in his/her own words. For example, I feel anxious when...