Projective Tests Coursework - 550 Words

Difference Between Projective and Self-Report Tests of Personality (Coursework Sample) Content: Name:Professorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s Name:Course:Date:Difference between projective and self-report tests of personalityProjective tests are personality tests with a design to enable individuals respond to stimuli that have ambiguous characteristics. The tests are done with the objective of revealing emotions and conflicts found in the unconscious part of the brain. On the other hand, self-report tests refer to tests that analyze responses that have relativity to presumed standards of the universe. In most cases, the test comes with multiple choices and limits the test to specific regulations. Projective tests focus on the meaning of the content. It does not look at the presumption behind the meaning of the test like self-report tests. Psychoanalytic psychology acts as the origin for the development of projective tests (Anstacia and Urbina 348). They work with the assumptions that human beings have conscious and unconscious attitudes that motivate their behavior. The self-repor t tests work in a standardized manner in a psychiatric interview and have adopted test procedures from the mass testing technique.The self-report test uses psychiatric literature to come up with its content questions. The questions in most cases deal with phobias, obsessions, compulsions, nightmares and sleep disorders. The primary functionality of the test works with the nature of its content. Nothing goes beyond the questions formulated in the test. The nature of self-report tests also varies depending on the status of the personality of a client and the situation involved. On the other hand, projective tests remain constant in their nature of operations.Two types of projective personality testsi) The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)Thematic Apperception Test refers to a personality test that operates using ambiguous scenes. The psychologist directs a client to make an observation on a series of the scenes found in the test. The psychologist afterward asks the client to give a sto ry by describing the scenes and their existing situation. The client also describes the nature of the emotions found within the characters and the ending of the story. The results come from the scores obtained from the client, motivations and anxieties based on the characters and the ending of the story.The Rorschach Inkblot TestThe Rorschach inkblot originated from the World Wars as doctors analyzed disorders found in the soldiers who took part in the war. The test has become one of the most known personality tests in the world. The test comprises of ten unique cards with ambiguous inkblots. The psychologists show the client different cards at a time and requests for a description depending on what she/he observes. The psychologist records the responses by observing the voice tone and reaction of the client.Advantages of projective personality testsProjective tests may be used to diagnose the aspect of mental illness from clients. For instance, Rorschach inkblot evaluates the level of mental illness through its techniques. The functionality of the test saves enough time and offers efficiency when it comes to the results. It uses data from the observation of the client of stimuli found in his/her environment. Those interviewers who use projective tests interpret the results according to their understanding. The information obtained act as the basis for the process of interpretation (Anstacia and Urbina 350). Through its functionality, it gives the interviewer a chance to extract information from the client without threatening his/ her thoughts.Disadvantage of projective personality testProjective tests lack a standardization way of analyzing the personality of clients. Different people that carry out the analysis may interpret and diagnose the disorder a client suffers from differently. They may also administer the test differently depending on their perception of the problem. The test may dev...