Psychology

This essay compares and contrasts projective tests from objective psychological tests through the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test (MMPI). Similarities and differences between the two tests were discussed as well as the theories where the said tests are based.

Projective and Personality Tests
Psychological tests are primarily used in measuring behavior.  These tests are usually administered in schools, companies, and mental institutions. The first psychological tests emerged during the nineteenth century and the beginning years of World War I (Gregory, 2003). Since then, a number of tests have followed, which began to measure not just intelligence but personality and behavior as well.

There are two main methods to measure personality. They can either be measured using projective or objective tests. Projective tests are basically unstructured, which relies on the interpretation of the test subjects over a certain stimuli. The first one to develop this type of test was Francis Galton through an experiment in 1897 (Ateel, 2010). He used a number of words and thought of as many words that could be associated with each. Objective tests are structured and are much preferred because of its high reliability and validity, which is ideal in the clinical setting (Lain, 2008).

One of the most popular projective personality tests is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). It was authored by Henry Murray and was first used at Harvard University in the year 1935 (Net Industries, 2010). The test is basically a set of 20 cards with an inkblot on them. The test subject is asked to interpret the inkblot through story telling. Murray s basis for developing this test was the fact that one can reveal his or her personality when he or she interprets a certain ambiguous situation (Woltmann, 1948). This test has certain similarities with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test (MMPI), developed by Hathaway and McKinley. It is usually used for diagnosis of mental disorders. The test consists of ten scales, which correspond to different psychological conditions. One similarity between the two tests is that both are concerned with the expression of the subject s needs. The TAT focuses on aggression, perception, and the expression of the subject s needs through interpretation (Net Industries, 2010). The MMPI also focuses on the client s expression of needs. This is manifested in the scoring of the test. High scores indicate reluctance to admitting moral weaknesses and hesitation to disclose problems (Rich, n.d.).

The main difference between these two tests is that the MMPI makes use of scales to measure personality. It is widely used for identifying psychological disorders. One example of this is the study conducted by Kidner, Gatchel, and Mayer (2010) regarding the MMPI Disability Profile being associated with the degree of opioid use in work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Through the MMPI, they were able to find out that there is a relationship between the dosage of opioid and the production of the disability profile. The TAT, on the other hand, relies on the interpretation of the subject. This test, therefore, can be applied to subjects of different environments. A study was conducted by Gray (1998) on the TAT with Japanese subjects. The results showed that there are a number of cards wherein the themes for Japanese subjects resemble that of American subjects. This is because the TAT does not use language as a primary tool when it is administered to subjects, unlike objective tests.

In conclusion, using projective measures alone may not fully generate a total evaluation of the subject s personality, nor can objective measures. Although there are certain similarities among the two types of tests, there are a lot of differences as well such as the method of administration, scoring, and interpretation. Projective measures, such as the TAT, are more effective in surfacing personality traits though the subject s interpretation of ambiguous stimuli. Objective measures also reveal the subject s inner self, but because it is scaled, it is much effective on diagnosis of psychological disorders.