The Validity and Reliability of Interpretation from Autobiography and Thematic Apperception Test
Every individual has a pattern of collective personality, character, and behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental traits. Personality of a person refers to his or her moods, attitudes, opinions, motivations, way of thinking, perceiving, speaking and acting. All these factors make a person a unique and distinct individual from the rest. There are theories of personality that have long existed even in the ancient times. In this connection, Thematic Apperception Test is a psychological test for humans that utilize pictures or images in order to interpret the individual’s personality; as well as his or her feelings and perception. Based on the book of Murray and Morgan, they expressed that pictures help to identify the traits, attitudes, needs and other feelings of the person. Through identifying a series of pictures; the client will unconsciously reveals his inner emotions, anxiety and other behaviors that are associated with the pictures he or she is interpreting. Furthermore, the proper way of using the test is face to face or one on one process. It must be personal with a very tranquil place or room in order to avoid distractions.
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Similarly, Rorschach’s theory of interpretation which uses inkblot is being recommended by psychiatrists in testing its validity and reliability to the society at large. There are many people who do not believe with the validity and reliability of TA; as it is believed by many that TAT theory is not scientific nor cannot be measured and thus, cannot be used in public. For its validity and reliability is doubtful by majority of people. Additionally, I lacks of credible resources as well as lack of essence; and just fantasies of the individual or client. Some people say that the interpretation is non-concrete and perhaps deceiving and lack of evidence and reliability. Another comment of certain Helen Sergeant from Winter Veterans Administration Hospitals located in Kansas. She says that there is no standard basis of client’s picture evaluation, and not considered as part of his or her autobiography. As a matter of fact, this even proves that it is difficult to figure out the non-specific formulation of the test grading system; which includes age, sex, nationality, culture among others. All these discrepancies even lead to wrong interpretation of data. Moreover, there are numerous studies by psychiatrists together with other social practitioners which all agree with Helen Sergeant point of view regarding TAT. They even added that the TAT indicators like gender, cultural, historical and other issues involving the client’s life is not a valid basis for reliability and validity of the test result of TAT.
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Correspondingly, race is the most questionable factor in TAT validity, because the first Thematic Appreciation Test picture used during 1935 was purely Caucasian people. Therefore, the response of the black and white clients to the question is greatly influenced by their race culture and traditions. Nevertheless, in 2002, there were new sets of pictures which introduced to various races and nationalities of people; in order to make TAT more credible in clinical test strategy. And, it seems that this approach had improved the standard of the TAT assessment. But, still, there are many questions about the scoring system, many people are still doubtful about the unusual standard used in the assessment of scores. And, according to Murray, TAT scoring system is unreliable as well. This was the main reason that in as early as in 1964, a new computerized TAT version was introduced in the research field. This advanced TAT version was only answerable by yes or no. Many scholars said that computers have limited capability in recording client’s expressions, tonality of voice, eye contact and body gestures. Many critics are more dismayed with the results. It was more uncertain and unreliable in prediction and in observation areas, therefore had not passed for recommendation for humans’ personality evaluation.
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In spite of all contradictions on TAT’s reliability and validity; it has been still become one of the most controversial, as well as the most common used projective interpretation methods by clinical psychologists today. Why? Many individuals or clients who have tried this technique have got favorable results for their personal expectations, goals and aspirations in life. Most of the TAT evaluations and results have given great impact to clients’ personality and their perspective in life. In the final note, perhaps the behavior pattern of any person is being established as the time goes by. And, the person’s personality is a mixture of natural life experiences and inherited traits from his or her family and culture.
(http://www.answers.com/topic/personality)
References:
(http://sampleresearchproposals.blogspot.com/2011/09/sample-validity-and-reliability-of.html)
(http://www.answers.com/topic/personality)
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