TAT再考

Abstract

The thematic apperception test (TAT) is known to be a personality test in which a subject is asked to make a story for each picture shown. This article aims at re-thinking TAT from its origin how this test was made. This study reveals that when interpreting TAT results it is important to notice the subjective influences on the examiner's side. Concerning psychological tests in general, subjective effects of an examiner is regarded to be undesirable. However, the current study concludes that it is extremely meaningful to notice the usefulness of an examiner's subjective features in TAT. A book written by Murray and Morgan (1938), Exploration in Personality, is a very useful volume to know the starting point of the TAT. This reading informs Murray's and Morgan's attitudes towards TAT practice as well as how TAT was used when it was a newly invented method. This book clarifies two important features of TAT: 1) the same theme told in TAT is repeatedly expressed in many other situations in various; 2) an examiner reads TAT stories imagining freely. When one reads TAT stories, s/he cannot help experiencing numerous sensations, feelings, insights, and thinking. It is almost amazing to find out how often the authors use their own lively senses on interpreting TAT. This early volume suggests the ways to interpret TAT deeply through an examiner's subjective senses.