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How do the Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the House, Tree, Person tests work? Do you reveal something about yourself when you tell stories about pictures or tell what you see in an inkblot or even when you do something as seemingly innocent as drawing a picture of a house? In this episode I try to answer these questions about the Freudian defense mechanism of projection as well as show you how a wonderful poem called How It Will End by Denise Duhamel could be an excellent example of psychology in everyday life.
Resources for this Episode
- Many thanks to Denise Duhamel for allowing me to read her wonderful poem How It Will End on this episode. You can find out more about her here.
- Click to hear Garrison Keillor read the poem in the September 28, 2009 episode of The Writer’s Almanac.
- You can find more poetry by Denise Duhamel here: Denise Duhamel on Amazon
Projective Tests
- The Rorshach Society of North America created this site where you can get a sense of what it is like to take the Rorshach test.
- Information about the Rorshach Test from Wikipedia
- Information about the Thematic Apperception Test from the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
- Iinformation about the Thematic Apperception Test from Wikipedia
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Pretty interesting information on projection; however, I was wondering if in the case of interpreting projections if it wouldn’t require a projection from the psychologist or the interpreter? As an example on the drawing of a house with a chimney, my first thought went to “smoke signals” and then to a warm home as being a second option of interpretation…
I guess that is the hardest thing for me to understand about Psychology is the data collected seems open to an interpretation which is then seemingly a projection of the interpreter.
Anyway, I think this will be the third or fourth time I’ve said this, but I am enjoying the podcasts – I don’t think I’ve spent this many hours listening to so many podcasts in a two day period, ever.
Take care, Kevin.
Excellent observation Kevin! Yes indeed – one could easily argue that what the therapist sees in the drawings are actually projections of his or her own thoughts and feelings. That’s another critique of these methods (as well as dream interpretation for example). I would say that this is why a full “battery” of tests is needed to try to “triangulate” if you will, on exactly what the problem is.
Glad you’re enjoying the episodes. Looks like I better get crackin’ on the next episode before you catch up to the current one. – Michael