Search

The report summarizes research on the development of an objective scoring system and the formulation of scales useful in the assessment of psychological development and normal behavior using a five-card, orally administered and tape-recorded version of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The TAT language scales which were developed represent innovative measures of oral speech based on controlled samples of spontaneously produced speech and represent an important original contribution. The TAT language scales provide a basis for scoring verbal factors from actual samples of speech. National norms for children ages 6-11 are presented for these scales. Two studies are reported. In the first study, a major emphasis was placed on the development of usable scales, while in the second study, the major focus of the present report, involves cross validation and refinement of the scales, as well as provision of national norms for the scales. (Author/BB)

In this report the psychological procedures used in the Health Examination Survey conducted between June 1963 and December 1965 for children ages 6 through 11 are critically evaluated. In his analysis, the author combines his own professional competence with the information obtained in an extensive survey of literature pertaining to the four procedures used--The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Wide Range Achievement Test, a modification of the Draw-A-Man Test, and the Thematic Apperception Test. The result is an evaluation of the instruments which is made in terms of their validity, reliability, and applicability for use in the Health Examination Survey. Finally, the author points out the strengths and weaknesses of each procedure and makes recommendations concerning the eventual use of data obtained in the Survey. This report contains a bibliography of 700 references. For a related document see TM003450. (Author/MLP)

The purpose of this monograph is to summarize professional literature on dependency and to discuss its implications for vocational rehabilitation. The review begins with a discussion of relevant psychoanalytic, learning, developmental, and sociocultural theories since behavioral manifestations of dependency differ and are related to factors in the particular milieu which precipitates them. Expressions of dependency are grouped in five categories: social, emotional, financial, institutional, and psychomedical. Methodological procedures for the study and measurement of dependency include self-report measures such as the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, projective techniques such as the Thematic Apperception Test, and ratings through observation. The types of handicaps with which dependency is associated are physical disability, emotional disorders, chronic illness, and social disability. It was observed that while expressions of dependency are related and similar, they must be dealt with by differing interventive techniques on the part of the rehabilitation personnel. Related documents are VT 008 510 and VT 008 511. (CH)

The study examined similarities and differences in the personal and social adjustment of intellectually gifted and average adolescents along six criteria: independent-dominant and responsible-cooperative interpersonal behavior, moderation of interpersonal behavior, unity or integration of personality, self acceptance, and accuracy of self perception. Two matched groups of 42 subjects each, one with IQ's from 130 to 150, the other with IQ's between 90 and 110, completed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the LaForge-Suczek Interpersonal Check List. Additional interpersonal ratings were secured from teachers and classmates. Results on interpersonal behavior indicated that the superior students were significantly higher in independent-dominant traits, aggressive-rebellious traits, and responsible-cooperative traits. On the TAT average students expressed a higher proportion of themes of masochism-weakness and conformity-trust. On concepts of ideal traits a significantly larger number of average subjects fell above the median on the responsible-cooperative cluster. On all other items, superior students failed to differ significantly. It was thus concluded that factors other than intellect influence personal and social adjustment. Earlier studies are reviewed, and 76 references are cited. Twenty-five tables and an appendix present data. (JD)

Measurement of females motives to avoid success were evaluated with students taking part in the Horner's Thematic Apperception Tests. Results of the study show that this testing procedure measures a more complex set of attitudes, expectations and personality characteristics than implied by "motive to avoid success" theory. (Author/EK)

An examination of the fear of success in black college women at four campuses indicates that the proportion of fear of success found in Thematic Apperception Test imagery of black women is consistently lower than has been found in studies of such imagery of white women. (Author)

Relatively little research has been done on the quantitative characteristics of children's word usage. This spoken count was undertaken to investigate those aspects of word usage and frequency which could cast light on lexical processes in grammar and verbal development in children. Three groups of 30 children each (boys and girls) from middle-class background were used. No child had any apparent speech or hearing handicap; all were from relatively urban areas and came from English-speaking homes. Each child was shown a 20-card form of the Thematic Apperception Test and was asked to tell stories for the pictures displayed on the cards. Each story-telling session lasted one hour and was tape-recorded. For each age group there are three word lists: (1) words ordered by frequency of use, (2) words categorized by part-of-speech classes, and (3) words alphabetically ordered. The codification procedure and the rationale for each frequency list are explained in detail. (FB)

This word count is a composite listing of the different words spoken by a selected sample of 54 English-speaking adults and the frequency with which each of the different words was used in a particular test. The stimulus situation was identical for each subject and consisted of 20 cards of the Thematic Apperception Test. Although most word counts are for written language, this spoken one was specifically undertaken to develop a base level from normal spoken language so that later a contrastive linguistic analysis of the verbal efforts of adult aphasic patients could be made. Three types of word frequency lists resulted--(1) words in the order of relative frequency of use, (2) words organized alphabetically within part-of-speech classes, and (3) words ordered alphabetically throughout. (FB)

"The goal of this study is to investigate, analyze, and elaborate upon the social background, 'influential others,' and personality characteristics of 300 youths, half of whom continued their education at least to graduation from high school and half of whom dropped out of high school." Six general areas of investigation are reported: the nuclear family, the friend-family system, the peer group, school experience, Thematic Apperception Test findings, and existing and proposed solutions for the dropout problem. (NH)

The study selected as a choice point the return to the University of Oregon of women who had been away from education for at least four years. The youngest woman was 25 and the oldest, 53. Control subjects of similar ages were also tested. The instruments used were the Buhler-Coleman Life Goals Inventory, Vincent's Personal Events Time Scale, and the Greenwald scoring of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) for affective complexity. The first two instruments were administered to both groups in October and May. The TAT was administered to the experimental group only. In May the experimental subjects were asked to provide a rank ordered list of the reasons they returned to college and whether or not they had experienced a period of critical self assessment during the time of the experiment. Three significant chi squares at least minimally confirmed the basic choice hypothesis. Other hypotheses which predicted a shift from self limiting adaptation to creative expansion and intensification of creative expansion scores after the test point were not confirmed. There was a strong and significant relationship between the Life Goals Inventory and the Personal Events Time Scale. (The document includes nine tables, a bibliography, and an appendix describing the instruments.) (author/aj)

THE ACADEMIC, OCCUPATIONAL, AND SOCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF A SAMPLE OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES (STUDIED PREVIOUSLY WHILE IN SCHOOL) WERE EXAMINED TO ISOLATE THE FACTORS OF ADOLESCENCE WHICH ARE RELATED TO LATER ACHIEVEMENT OR FAILURE IN COLLEGE OR AN OCCUPATION. THE PROJECT WAS A FOLLOWUP STUDY AND WAS CONCERNED WITH AN ANALYSIS OF DATA GATHERED AT TWO POINTS IN TIME, RATHER THAN A SEQUENCE OF LONGITUDINAL DATA. OVER 350 MEMBERS OF A METROPOLITAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CLASS COMPRISED THE SAMPLE FOR THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM. THE FOLLOWUP STUDY CONSISTED OF CONTACTING AS MANY OF THIS GROUP AS POSSIBLE, CONCENTRATING ON A SMALL PERCENTAGE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DATA. IN THE INITIAL STUDY DATA WERE GATHERED ON INTELLIGENCE, PERSONALITY, SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, SCHOOL RECORDS, AND TEACHER RATINGS. THE FOLLOWUP PROJECT ADDED INFORMATION ON COLLEGE GRADES, JOBS HELD, PERSONALITY STRUCTURE, SOCIAL STATUS, AND PROBLEMS IN COLLEGE OR JOB EXPERIENCE SINCE LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL. ECONOMIC POSITIONS AND BEHAVIORAL CATEGORIES WERE ALSO RATED. THE TWO INVESTIGATIONS WERE CONDUCTED 6 YEARS APART. PROJECT RESULTS SHOWED THAT ADULT PERFORMANCE WAS POSSIBLY MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES THAT OCCUR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL THAN TO HIGH SCHOOL BEHAVIOR OR ACHIEVEMENT. THESE POST-HIGH SCHOOL FACTORS APPEARED TO BE INHERENTLY RELATED TO ADULT PERFORMANCE--(1) FAMILY EXPERIENCES, (2) SOCIAL CLASS CONTEXT, AND (3) LATER OCCUPATIONAL SITUATIONS. (JH)

Study supported by Research Grant M-3209 from the National Institute of Mental Health

Study supported in part by Public Health Service Research Grant MH-07506, and based on a doctoral dissertation completed at Yeshiva University (Lowenherz, 1966).

Describes findings challenging the usefulness of the notion that Hawaiian children do well or poorly in school because they possess or lack need for achievement. (JM)

Scales are developed to replace the difficult to administer and score Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) affiliation scales. Functional relationships between such variables as affiliative behavior, conformity behavior, and dependency and affiliative tendency and sensitivity to rejection are educed. (DG)

Families in a Mexican village were interviewed using the California Psychological Inventory and the TAT. Users and nonusers of contraceptives were found to differ on several psychological variables. (ST)

Socialization practices as they are directed at boys and girls and as they relate to need for achievement, especially to differences in levels of need, were compared in a study population of 42 fifth-grade children, 21 boys and 21 girls, and their mothers. Both mothers and children were given the standard TAT measure scored for need for achievement; the children were given the Mandler-Sarason Test Anxiety Scale; and mothers were given the Endler Anxiety Scale. Mothers and children were given questionnaires to measure their different views of the socialization practices and interactions between them. Results of the study showed that low need for achievement boys were getting inadequate support and too much control; low need for achievement girls were receiving support but no goals or standards were being set and there were inadequate controls; high need for achievement boys showed no significant differences in the reported amounts of any types of interaction; and high need for achievement girls reported significantly more positive interaction than negative control, but none of the other comparisons were significant. The important factors in the socialization of need for achievement appear to be expectations and demands for achievement and independence made at an appropriate age, around age 5 in this sample, coupled with positive interaction or support and a moderate amount of control. (DB)

If the measures used in this study were valid indicators of phenomenal environmental oppressiveness, then it would seem that suicidal adolescents do not see their world as any more overwhelming or overpowering than do others of the same age. (Authors)

Murray's original Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Cards I to XX, was administered in two sessions to 80 Chinese male and female undergraduate students at the National Taiwan Normal University. The results are compared with American averages. (Author/JH)

Study conducted as part of a master's thesis at Marquette University.